Books & Works on paper

Antiquarian and modern books can still command high prices even in today's digital age. Recent successes include the £8,500 paid for Selby's Illustrations of British Ornithology, or £3,800 for Byrne's Euclid. The latter was part of collection of books seen in a routine house call in Sneyd Park, Bristol. The vendor believed that there was little of value there, but the collection totalled £15,000 - thanks to a number of fascinating rare local history books. 

Classical literature also brings in those high figures at auction, especially first editions. We recently sold the first illustrated edition of Jane Austin's 'Pride and Prejudice', published 1894, also known as the 'Peacock Edition' for its beautiful gilt-covered binding displaying a peacock and feathers. The vendor brought this in on one of our Stoke Lodge valuation days, along with a few other assorted books, claiming "there's probably nothing good there". It was a joy when the book sold for £1000 in one of our Quarterly Specialist Sales.

Modern first edition books have also sold well at Clevedon Salerooms, including a first edition, first impression of C. S. Lewis' iconic 'The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe', complete in its dustwrapper, which sold for £1,400. Another success was J.R.R. Tolkein's 'The Hobbit or There and Back Again', first edition, second impression, which sold for £1,800.

It is always worth getting your book collection checked out by our specialist as you often never know when you've struck gold.

For any book enquiries, contact our book specialist, Ruby Willmore: rw@clevedonsalerooms.com