Auctions | October 20, 2016

Bloomsbury Auctions Book Specialists from London Offer Free Book Valuations in USA

Screen Shot 2016-10-20 at 10.13.44 AM.pngRoddy Newlands, Head of Books, and Clive Moss, Director and Book specialist, both from renowned auctioneers Bloomsbury Auctions, will be available in New York (24th - 25th October, 2016) and Boston (28th - 29th October, 2016) to meet with clients for provide free book valuations. To arrange a valuation in New York, Boston, or anywhere that falls in-between, please contact Clive Moss via email: cmoss@bloomsburyauctions.com or mobile: + 44 (0) 7824 017837 to arrange an appointment.

Bloomsbury Auctions have established a unique reputation as leading book specialists, with a highly knowledgeable and experienced team of experts at the helm and a tradition of delivering exceptional results at auction.

Established in 1983, the company has achieved excellent prices, notable examples of American interest including:

·         Thomas Paine, Rights of Man, 1791 'The clearest of all expositions of the basic principles of democracy' (Printing and the Mind of Man, PMM - survey of the impact of printed books on the development of western civilisation). The exceedingly rare suppressed first edition, first issue, bound with three other works by PaineSold for £161,200  

·         The North-American Pilot for New England, New York, Pensilvania, Maryland, and Virginia, 1776 Comprising charts of Boston Harbour, Hudson River, Delaware Bay, Chesapeake Bay, Cape Fear River, Charles-Town Bar and Harbour, Port-Royal, River and Sound of Dawfoskee, Amelia Harbour and Bar. Sold for £73,200

·         Thomas Edison, Printed patent application signed by Thomas Edison in autograph, 1882. The document is an overseas patent application relating to dynamos for electrical lamps, stating that 'I, Thomas Alva Edison of Menlo Park New Jersey United States of America am in possession of an invention for "Improvements in means for regulating the generative capacity of dynamo or magneto electric machines". Sold for £24,180

·         Dashiell Hammett, Red Harvest, 1929. The first edition in scarce dust-jacket, “A remarkable achievement, the last word in atrocity, cynicism, and horror.” (André Gide). Sold for £22,320

The Books Department will be re-locating to 16-17 Pall Mall, St James’s, London, this Winter. The address has a long and prestigious history as a home to booksellers and collectors of rare books and manuscripts.  In 1930 the distinguished firm W.H. Robinson took up residence at 16-17 Pall Mall with the specific intention of being close to the Athenaeum and other gentlemen’s clubs. They were regarded as the most prestigious book dealers of the day and in 1946 they acquired the books and manuscripts collection of the prolific collector Sir Thomas Phillipps. This was the single greatest collection of manuscripts to ever have existed and it included 60,000 manuscripts - more manuscripts than contained in the combined libraries of Oxford and Cambridge. From the proceeds of the collection W.H. Robinson was able to retire in 1956. At which point the book dealer Pickering and Chatto moved in to the premises continuing the long tradition of rare books and manuscripts being sold at this address.

For appointments in New York, Boston and neighbouring cities & States:

From Monday 24th - Saturday 29th October 

Contact: Clive Moss, Director, Book Dept., Bloomsbury Auctions

Email: cmoss@bloomsburyauctions.com

Mobile: +44 (0) 7824 017837

Image: Dashiell Hammett, Red Harvest, 1929. The first edition in scarce dust-jacket, sold for £22,320.