Out & About September 2017

Best sellers Old books and manuscripts are a thing of beauty and much-prized in the antiques world. But a book doesn’t have to be that old, says THOMAS PLANT, to command a good price at auction – a looked-after modern classic can also fetch a good sum

I am a real book fan. One of my favourites is Lord of the Rings and, having sold the boxed set of three first editions for just over £1,500 two years ago, I’m beginning to think I should have bought them. Having a favourite book is how some book collectors start. For others, it is simply the genre or history of that publication which appeals to them. The past 15 years has seen a 300-per-cent increase in the popularity of modern first editions. James Bond books are always extremely sought after – show me a man who doesn’t want to be James Bond. I find that after reading these books I get into character and my instinct is to indulge in a few too many martinis – shaken not stirred of course! In 2014, we sold a first edition of Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale (1953) for £16,520. Other Ian Fleming books we have sold include a first edition of Live and Let Die (1954), which sold for £5,192, Moonraker (1955) sold for £2,832 and a first edition of Diamonds are Forever (1956), which went for £4,248. Children’s books are usually well-read and consequently worn and torn, so It is rare to find them in good condition. This means that when a fine example does come up it can fetch a good price at auction such as J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens , illustrated by Arthur Rackham, which recently doubled its estimate to achieve £3,068 at auction. Collectors also strive to obtain any books that have been serialised or made into film; stories such as Alice in Wonderland or Winnie the Pooh , and authors including Agatha Christie, Tolkien, CS Lewis and F Scott Fitzgerald can be bought from £50 upwards, though for ones in better condition you could add a nought or two. We do also see more classic literature as well, such as copies of monastic illuminated manuscript reinvigorated with chromolithographic plates in fine contemporary bindings.

Condition is paramount to the value of books – dustjackets that are intact, with minimal wear and tear really add to their price at auction. Another thing to look out for are illustrators such as Heath Robinson, Arthur Rackham, Gustav Dore or Edmund Dulac. Books with their illustrations can also be worth a great deal – even later editions of the original can go for £2,500 plus, if the binding is in good condition, or unusual.

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