Book

A library of works relating to hunting, horseriding and dogs assembled over a 40-year period by a hunting historian, the Comte d’Orglandes, went under the hammer on April 12 at Deloys (22% buyer’s premium inc tax) in Angers, part of the Ivoire group.

François Pierre de la Varenne (1618-78) is the chef credited with bringing French cuisine into the modern era.

The Negro Motorist Green Book, first produced in 1936, was the indispensable guide for African-American families travelling.

'A Magician Among the Spirits' by Harry Houdini conjured up one of the highest prices in the Potter & Potter (20% buyer’s premium) Houdini-related sale in Chicago on April 8 when it sold for $15,000 (£12,095).

The first 90 or so lots in Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr’s (27.5/26/20/14.5% buyer’s premium) sale of Islamic and Indian Art held in Paris on April 6 were the property of a Royal collection.

This special edition of A Japanese Collection (1898) by Michael Tomkinson (1841-1921) is one of the first 25 copies printed on Indian paper and is signed and dedicated by the author to his daughter Dora.

Forgotten today, a collection sold in Somerset remembers a multi-talented showman and author

A prayer book once owned by a priest who helped Charles II hide after defeat at the Battle of Worcester, and later heard his death-bed confession, has sold at auction to a national heritage organisation.

Inscribed as a gift and sent with his kind regards to Miss Anne Stephenson, the daughter of his aunt and uncle, Abigail and Samuel Longfellow Stephenson, an 1868 edition of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 'The Courtship of Miss Standish and other Poems' was offered in a sale held by Sarasota Auctions (26% buyer’s premium).

Offered as part of a March 2 sale held by Heritage (20% buyer’s premium) that was billed as a Pulp Magazine Showcase was this October 1919 issue of 'The Thrill Book'.

Shown here is what would be an arachnophobe’s nightmare: one of the 29 hand-coloured engraved plates that illustrate a copy of John Blackwell’s 'History of Spiders of Great Britain and Ireland'.

Shrewsbury sale offered rare opportunity to bid for a letters by the great writer and lexicographer

First published in 1755, Samuel Johnson’s 'A Dictionary of the English Language' had taken eight years to compile with six helpers.

A sale held by Martel Maides (20% buyer’s premium) of Guernsey to disperse the contents two island homes included some 60 or more single and multiple lots of books, a number of which boasted special bindings.

Middle-Earth history works edited by Christopher and two copies of The Hobbit with interesting links

Manuscript including recipes sold for £15,000 was written by a lady who died ‘aged around 100’

A 1908, presentation first of one of WW Jacobs’ maritime tales, 'Salthaven', was the top lot in a sale held by Potter & Potter (20% buyer’s premium).

Featured in an Oxford sale was a copy of the 1893, Kelmscott Press edition of The History of Godefrey of Boloyne and of the Conquest of Jerusalem.

Rare books specialist Shapero Rare Books run by Bernard Shapero is a regular exhibitor at TEFAF.