Old books make worthwhile auction reading
Author: Richard Brewster | Posted: 25th September, 2017
Early editions of novels by famous Victorian English author Charles Dickens and manuscripts dating back to the 15th century are among Leonard Joel’s Specialist Books auction – featuring a gentleman’s art and reference library – from 2pm Thursday September 28 at 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra.
The three Dickens novels on offer include the well-known works David Copperfield, Bleak House and Martin Chuzzlewit.
A writer and social critic, Dickens lived from 1812 to 1870 and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era.
Entitled Casus Papales, Episcopales et Abbatiales, the 15th century work dates from 1498 and contains two full page woodcut illustrations.
Another interesting reference is The Histoire of the Holy Warre Thomas Fuller, a first edition printed in 1639 by Thomas Buck of Cambridge with a rebound leather binding.
The Kingdome of England & Principality of Wales Thomas Jenner, printed in 1644 in London, rebound in book from and housed in a contemporary clamshell box, is well worth examination by collectors.
Other intriguing works include The Works of (English poet) John Milton, printed for A. Millar of London in two volumes with rebound leather binding, and a Bunch of Wildflowers by Australian artist Ida Rentoul Outhwaite.
The latter work is a first edition printed in 1933 in Sydney by Angus & Robertson and containing the author’s loose signature and six tipped in colour plates.
Another interesting book is Australian artist Norman Lindsay’s Paintings in Oil, a 1945 edition (one of 1000) by Sydney Press featuring 14 colour reproductions from original oil paintings, 16 black and white half-tone plates and essays by Douglas Stewart and Norman Lindsay.
