The next Sydney Rare Book Auctions sale features a huge collection of antiquarian titles. It’s very rare to find such a large volume of quality, vellum bound volumes available on the market. The collection came from a European immigrant who brought his library with him to Australia in the 1950’s. Many of the books came from a monastery in the Pamplona area of Spain and are of a religious theme. There are also some fabulous early medical, botanical and architecture titles.
Included is an incredibly impressive 15th Century manuscript antiphonal of over 200 leaves. This huge tome may have a binding that’s less than pristine, but it’s an original volume, handwritten on vellum with ornate decorations. Such books are highly sought after. There are two other impressive volumes also handwritten on vellum, both of which are circa 1600’s. These imposing and elaborate books are in what appears to be original bindings and are over 200 leaves in size.
Also of note in the antiquarian collection is a 1568 Thomas Aquinas Summa in original limp vellum, as well as a 1790 Commentary on the Thomas Aquinas Summa in three large volumes. There is also a 1691 book on sundial construction that contains numerous illustrations, plus a 1619 Elements of Euclid. This early edition of one of the foundation books of modern mathematics is bound in full limp vellum and contains numerous geometrical drawings.
This is but a few of what’s on offer, with many fantastic medical and architecture books yet to be catalogued. In all there will be over 200 lots of antiquarian books on offer in our August 10th sale.
In our June 15th auction we have two very interesting autograph books (Lots 285 & 286). They were put together by Mr Glassop who was a senior official of the Newcastle City Council. Many dignitaries were shunted to Newcastle to view the amazing steel works and our intrepid autograph hunter was always there with book in hand.
The brothers Albert and Edward, one of whom later abdicated and the other became the reluctant King, have signed their names. There are famous aviators here too in Jean Batten, Sir Charles Kinsford Smith and Sir Ross Smith. Sporting heroes Sir Donald Bradman and Jack Crawford (Crawford won 6 grand slams including the Australian, French and Wimbledon titles in 1933 and was runner up in the US in the same year). Also here is Walter Lindrum. So in this book are the signatures of the three top Australian sportsmen of the 1930s.
