Latest News Articles by Ian McKay
British and Irish book auctions: February 5-14, 2019
04 February 2019ATG’s calendar of book auctions taking place in the UK and Ireland from February 5-14, 2019.
Bindings to boost collections
28 January 2019Eight examples of beautiful bindings feature in a selection from recent auctions held across the world.
Elizabeth, Mary and Mendel
28 January 2019A recently released new film about the relationship between Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots, one in which certain historical liberties appear to have been taken concerning the generally accepted belief that the two women never actually met, brings a topicality to a letter offered last month in London.
Clive Hamilton aka CS Lewis
28 January 2019Illustrated below is the title page of a copy of the very first book by CS Lewis to be printed, Spirits in Bondage of 1919.
British and Irish book auctions: January 29-February 9, 2019
28 January 2019ATG’s calendar of book auctions taking place in the UK and Ireland from January 29-February 9, 2019.
Copernicus sets course for the modern world
21 January 2019A work once said to have “…set the course for the modern world by its effective destruction of the anthropocentric view of the universe” made a rare auction appearance.
West that was not so wild
21 January 2019'Across the Continent. Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way' is a well-known hand coloured litho print issued by Currier & Ives, although the publisher’s imprint has been cut off the bottom of the example shown below.
Polar library built by an architect gets warm reception at Leyburn auction
21 January 2019Arctic and Antarctic exploration was the main theme of a library assembled over many years by architect Roger Casson (1943-2016).
Cambridge auction full of high-price surprises
21 January 2019A letter of 1803 in which George III, writing to Lord Hawkesbury, effectively declares his intention to renew war on France, was at £9000 one of the more successful lots in a recent Cambridge sale that produced its fair share of surprise results.
British and Irish book auctions: January 22-February 1, 2019
21 January 2019ATG’s calendar of book auctions taking place in the UK and Ireland from January 22-February 1, 2019.
Marx Brothers bird play at Swann
21 January 2019Groucho, Harpo and Chico are shown below in Al Hirschfield’s original cover artwork for 'Why a Duck?', a profusely illustrated work about the Marx Brothers edited by Richard J Anobile and published in 1971.
Small marvel by miniature master
21 January 2019Dated to c.1480, the 5in (12.5cm) tall painting on vellum of ‘King David in Penitence’ shown right was one of two works by the Master of the Houghton Miniatures offered by Sotheby’s (25/20/12.9% buyer’s premium) in a December 4 sale and sold at £90,000.
Penguin patties on the menu raise over £15,000
19 January 2019Six lots relating to Shackleton’s British Antarctic Expedition of 1907-09 offered in a January 3 sale held by Golding Young & Mawer (20% buyer’s premium) raised £15,150 in all.
Bob Monkhouse archive artwork backs a vote for Sloper
14 January 2019Earlier material in the last Comic Book Auctions (16% buyer’s premium) sale of the old year, which ended on November 25, included an original ink on card artwork of 1900 featuring Ally Sloper, whose pioneering comic debut had been made as early as 1867 in Judy, a comic rival to Punch.
British and Irish book auctions: January 15-31, 2019
14 January 2019ATG’s calendar of book auctions taking place in the UK and Ireland from January 15-31, 2019.
The worth of Wealth of Nations
14 January 2019Adam Smith’s own copy bearing his simple bookplate makes £750,000 in London auction.
Holy Roman Emperor honoured as a star attraction
14 January 2019A 1627, Ulm first of Johannes Kepler’s 'Tabulae Rudolphinae…', an important astronomical work named in honour of the then Holy Roman Emperor, Rudolf II, sold for SKr350,000 (£30,535) on December 7.
Ashendene Press book bound for WH Smith sells at Bonhams
14 January 2019'A Book of Songs and Poems from the Old Testament and the Apocrypha', the Ashendene Press book of 1904 shown below, has in the past made as much as £2000 at auction.
Arthur Rackham ups and downs at online auction
14 January 2019Illustrations offered as part of an online Sotheby’s (25/20/12.9% buyer’s premium) sale held in early December included a couple of Arthur Rackhams.
Greeting card see-saw puppies on a high
14 January 2019Produced by Raphael Tuck & Sons c.1900, ‘Puppies Playtime’ is one of a pair of greeting card see-saws that sold for £140 in the book and ephemera section of a December 15 sale held by Lacy Scott & Knight (20% buyer’s premium).