Books & Periodicals

In the years 1881-82, the Rev William Essery was for many months a passenger on the SS Ceylon.

Inscribed 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.

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.

Priced 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).

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.

Firsts: London’s Rare Books Fair has added an impressive 49 dealers to the roster for its 65th edition thanks to an influx of international traders.

James Eaton runs Alastor Rare Books specialising in British and continental antiquarian books, manuscripts, archives, and ephemera, with an emphasis on Italian and French imprints.

“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.”

Bearing 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).

Rediscovered sculpted portrait heads a special report covering recent lots linked to the man who became emperor, dedicated to both his triumphs and defeats

It 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.

The 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).

Gastronomy-themed books spanning five centuries were offered in a London auction.

The first Michelin guide was published in 1900 by the eponymous tyre company.

Offering 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.

Paul Foster set up Paul Foster Books in 1990 and trades online, at fairs and by appointment in London.

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.

Bid 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.

What 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).

Playing cards displaying maps lead a look at a Gloucestershire sale