Latest News Articles by Ian McKay
Passenger’s unpublished account of pioneering round-the-world trip surfaces in a saleroom
22 August 2022In the years 1881-82, the Rev William Essery was for many months a passenger on the SS Ceylon.
A true Colossus… among Sylvia Plath’s verses
22 August 2022Inscribed to her husband and fellow poet, Ted Hughes, the dedication copy of the first and only collection of Sylvia Plath’s poems to be published in her lifetime, 'The Colossus and other Poems', sold for a record £75,000 in a Sotheby’s (25/20/13.9% buyer’s premium) sale.
Have you got the guts to buy it?
22 August 2022Priced on the cover at nine pence, it was a British copy of a Marvel comic of 1983, one that saw the first appearance of the mighty Thor, that led the bidding at £6300 in the comics section of a July 21-22 sale held by Fieldings (24% buyer’s premium).
‘First editions, second thoughts’ of notable names
22 August 2022The headline borrows the title given to an online Christie’s (26/20% buyer’s premium) sale – one that presented more than 80 modern first editions.
British and Irish book auctions: August 23-September 22, 2022
22 August 2022Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.
British and Irish book auctions, August 16-September 4, 2022
15 August 2022Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.
To TS Eliot from Virginia Woolf
15 August 2022“Dear Tom, I should like to write a story called ‘Mrs Dalloway in Bond Street’ (the title, I suppose, could be changed if necessary). I should certainly expect to let you have it by Oct. 1st.”
Medieval initials add a touch of colour to Bloomsbury sale
15 August 2022The two cut-out and trimmed coloured initials illustrated here are part of a group of six, taken from two manuscripts of 12th century French origin, that made up a lot sold for £10,000 in a July 6 sale held by Bloomsbury Auctions (25/20/12% buyer’s premium).
‘Lustie’ farmers sought for a pioneering settlement
15 August 2022Bearing as its title ‘Certain Directions for the Sending of Men and Comodities, & Cattle to Virginia’, a 10pp secretarial manuscript thought to date from c.1609 proved a major attraction in a July 14 sale held by Forum (15/20/12.5% buyer’s premium).
Rare appearance of financial work by author who ended up dying in poverty
15 August 2022It is close on 50 years since a 1705 first of John Law’s 'Money and Trade Considered…' was seen at auction, said Lyon & Turnbull (20% buyer’s premium) of the copy in re-backed contemporary calf that it sold for £22,000 in a summer sale held in Edinburgh.
Collector showed her great taste in gastronomic works
08 August 2022Gastronomy-themed books spanning five centuries were offered in a London auction.
JK Rowling’s story that became Inventive and Action Packed
08 August 2022Offering a copy of the second of JK Rowling’s famous tales to be published, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets of 1998, a lot that featured in a July 16 sale held by Rogers Jones (24% buyer’s premium) was certainly an unusual one.
Agatha Christie makes plea to ‘Pop’ to promote her book
08 August 2022Bid to £16,000 in a sale held by Duke’s (25% buyer’s premium) of Dorchester was a 1921 first of Agatha Christie’s The Mysterious House at Styles.
British and Irish book auctions: August 9-31, 2022
08 August 2022Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.
Geography guide in your hand
25 July 2022Playing cards displaying maps lead a look at a Gloucestershire sale
New chapter in 007 posters story
25 July 2022What would appear to be a rare James Bond promotional poster proved the major attraction of a June 14 sale held by TW Gaze (18% buyer’s premium).
Comics create a super success
25 July 2022Sold for $2m (£1.62m) in a major and hugely successful comics sale held by Heritage (20% buyer’s premium) of Dallas was an original cover artwork produced in 1986 by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley for Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1.
British and Irish book auctions: July 26-August 5, 2022
25 July 2022Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions
An Unbroken run of success
18 July 2022A ‘Jolly Roger’ or pirate flag that records the Second World War exploits of a British submarine flew once more in a militaria sale earlier this summer.
Six more gems from the baron
18 July 2022Selection of sale highlights from the exceptional Henry Rogers Broughton collection