Latest News Articles by Ian McKay
Get on the Blowers for his sale
18 March 2017Cricket commentator who has a way with words offers books from own library at auction
‘Sundial’ distorts view of the world
18 March 2017Highly unusual, not to say confusing, but mathematically correct is the view of the world as seen in this untitled map of 1640 that made £4500 in a Dominic Winter (19.5% buyer’s premium) sale of March 1.
Banned and then burned – two early English satires bloom again at Bonhams’ sale
17 March 2017Bound together some 200 years ago, rare copies of two Elizabethan satires that were first condemned and then burned will be among the books offered by Bonhams at the Glyn Cywarch sale later this month.
Job lot at £3600 is perfect sense
11 March 2017Auction find reveals historical account of follies, fads, manias and the madness of crowds
A rarity from the ‘Court of Queen Vic’ sells at Cambridge auction
06 March 2017A comic picture book issued by Fores in 1842 and titled ‘The Brother to the Moon’s Visit to the Court of Queen Vic’ would appear to be a great rarity, and a copy offered by Cheffins of Cambridge on February 22 made a much higher than predicted £1900.
In a couple, for better or verse
04 March 2017Rimbaud lots include a poem he gave to his lover Verlaine a year before their last quarrel
Mark Twain’s much-travelled trunk on offer at Heritage Auctions
25 February 2017This sturdy-looking ‘stagecoach trunk’ accompanied the great American writer Mark Twain on a great many of his travels. It will be offered for sale at Heritage Auctions in New York on March 8 where the starting bid is $25,000.
Author who burned with rage
25 February 2017Lot that reveals Hawthorne’s hatred of his first book leads a look at New York auctions
Early prints of the books realm
18 February 2017Appealing and solid provenance backs up 1497 group of proverbs in 19th century binding
Flights of fantasy – Bonhams to offer collection dedicated to airborne experiments
15 February 2017A French collection comprising 70-lots documenting historical attempts at achieving flight will be offered at Bonhams on March 1.
Scots lots show rhyme and reason
11 February 2017Wordsworth archive and a poetic description of syphilis sell in a varied Edinburgh auction
In a Lewis Carroll wonderland
04 February 2017One of the finest groups of the author’s works comes to auction at Cotswolds saleroom
Example of the first book printed in Antarctica sells for £55,000
03 February 2017A rare copy of the first book printed in Antarctica has sold for £55,000 at Bonhams.
Checking out a chess trailblazer
28 January 2017Later 1473 version of the earliest recorded work on the game makes £50,000 at auction
Newton’s giant leap for mankind
21 January 2017Landmark scientific work produced thanks to astronomer Halley soars to double estimate
Sale testament to great collection
14 January 2017Nearly 60% of Ryrie bible lots go over estimate in New York and just 15 fail to find a new home
Scientific record-breakers
07 January 2017Second slice of extensive collections features top sums despite other sale casualties
Rich crop of end-of-year results
31 December 2016Final two months of 2016 were packed with good English, US and continental European sales
Keys to auction vast library from Morningthorpe Manor
26 August 2016A four-day sale of the contents of a Norfolk country house being conducted by Keys at their Aylsham rooms will include on September 8-9 the vast library formed by Ron Fiske at Morningthorpe Manor.
The Man of La Mancha in Norfolk – first English edition of Don Quixote makes £25,000
09 August 2016One of a great many books removed from a couple of terraced houses in Norwich for sale by Keys of Aylsham was an 1612 first English edition of the first part only of Don Quixote.