The 1924 Ashendene edition of The Golden Asse of Lucius Apuleius sold for £17,000 in the November 21-22 sale held by Bamfords.
The book is considered one of the finer achievements of CH St John Hornby’s press and its decoration includes coloured and gilt initials by Graily Hewitt that are a feature of this and other Ashendene publications.
One of those rare vellum copies (above) offered as part of the book section of a November 21-22 sale held by Bamfords (12.5% buyer’s premium) was bound in full brick-red morocco gilt at the WH Smith bindery, perhaps by Douglas Cockerell.
Modestly estimated at £500-700, it sold instead at £17,000 – more than doubling the previous auction best, set at Sotheby’s New York back in 1989.
