Frank Herrmann.
Herrmann, a writer, publisher and auctioneer, died at his home in Essex on April 30, just short of his 90th birthday.
He entered the world of antiquarian books at Sotheby’s in 1980 shortly after the publication of his book Sotheby’s: Portrait of an Auction House.
When, three years later, Sotheby’s decided to raise the threshold for consignments to £500, he saw an opportunity to create a new auction house. Bloomsbury Book Auctions was co-founded with Lord John Kerr and David Stagg.
Roy Davids.
Davids, who died aged 74 on April 28, joined Sotheby’s in 1973, becoming head of a reunited books and manuscripts department in 1981.
Latterly, he was head of the marketing department before leaving in 1994 to focus on dealing and writing.
Davids’ scholarly collections, displayed in his house at Great Haseley in Oxfordshire, were sold in recent years.
Obituaries of both men will appear in a future issue.
