Leigh & Sotheby sold the library of the Rev. Isaac Gosset, a constant attendant on book-sales, in 1813 (the year after his death), during twenty-three days. There were 5740 lots, which sold for ?3141. Gosset (the Lepidus of Dibdin) was much attached to Richard Heber, whom he regarded as his pupil.
In this same year (1813) the famous Merly library (Ralph Willett) was sold by Leigh & Sotheby. There were seventeen days, and 2906 lots, which sold for ?13,508. It was said at the time that if ever there was a unique collection this was one.
A choice and small library of a well-known collector (John Hunter) was sold in this same year by Leigh & Sotheby, in a three days? sale, with 405 lots, which realised ?1344.
Messrs. King & Loch?e sold the library of John Horne Tooke, 1813. There were four days, and 1813 lots, which fetched ?1250.
In 1814 and 1815 the library of John Towneley was sold by Evans. Part 1 in June 1814, seven days, 904 lots, amount of sale ?5890. Part 2, June 1815, ten days, 1703 lots, amount of sale ?2707, or a total for the two parts of ?8597. The Towneley Mysteries sold for ?147. A small remaining portion of the Towneley library was sold by Evans in 1817.
Mr. Towneley?s collection of drawings, prints, books of prints, &c., was sold by Mr. King in 1816 for ?1414, and a collection of the works of Hollar, also by Mr. King, in May 1818 for ?2108.
In 1816 there were several fine sales. Evans sold Edward Astle?s library, which occupied two days? sale, and consisted of 265 lots, realising ?2366; Dr. Vincent?s, Dean of Westminster, library, in six days? sale, 1176 lots, which sold for ?1390; and the library of Marshal Junot, which consisted chiefly of books printed on vellum--the 139 lots sold for ?1397; but this fact by itself is misleading, insomuch that the books of more than half that value were bought in, viz., ?779, making those sold amount only to ?618.
Messrs. Leigh & Sotheby sold in 1816 the library of Prince Talleyrand, which was described as _Bibliotheca splendissima_. There were eighteen days? sale, and the amount realised was ?8399.
In this same year (1816) Mr. J. G. Cochrane sold the Gordonstoun library of Sir Robert Gordon. It contained 2421 lots, occupying twelve days in the selling, and realising ?1539. This sale is specially alluded to by Mr. Hill Burton in his ?Book-Hunter? as a remarkable exception to the rule that great book-sales seldom ?embrace ancestral libraries acc.u.mulated in old houses from generation to generation.? This library ?was begun by Sir Robert Gordon, a Morayshire laird of the time of the great civil wars of the seventeenth century. He was the author of the ?History of the Earldom of Sutherland,? and a man of great political as well as literary account. He laid by heaps of the pamphlets, placards, and other doc.u.ments of his stormy period, and thus many a valuable morsel, which had otherwise disappeared from the world, left a representative in the Gordonstoun collection. It was increased by a later Sir Robert, who had the reputation of being a wizard. He belonged to one of those terrible clubs from which Satan is ent.i.tled to take a victim annually; but when Gordon?s turn came, he managed to get off with merely the loss of his shadow.?
William Roscoe?s fine library was also sold in 1816 by Winstanley of Liverpool. There were 1918 lots, and fourteen days? sale, the amount realised being ?5150.
It is worthy of mention that in 1817 Evans sold the library of Count Borromeo of Padua, and that the books were very fully described in the catalogue. In one instance a book which only sold for half-a-crown was described in fourteen lines. The catalogue of 324 lots occupied seventy-seven octavo pages. The total proceeds of the sale were ?726.
The cataloguing of the time was not affected by this example, and it was many years before full descriptions were given in sale catalogues. M.
Libri?s annotated catalogues of 1859-62 set the new fashion.
The book sales from this date become so very numerous, that it is impossible in the s.p.a.ce at our disposal to register more than a few of the most important, and these must be recorded quite succinctly.
The sale of Edmond Malone?s library at Sotheby?s in 1818 occupied eight days, and brought ?1649.
The great sale by Evans of James Bindley?s library, which was particularly rich in early English literature, was spread over several years. Part 1, December 1818, twelve days, 2250 lots, amount of sale ?3046. Part 2, January 1819, twelve days, 2588 lots, amount realised ?4631. Part 3, February 1819, eleven days, 2321 lots [amount not given in Evans?s sale catalogues in the British Museum.] Part 4, August 1820, books, six days, 1132 lots, amount ?2253. [Part 5] omissions, January 1821, five days, 1092 lots [no totals given].
Bindley?s portraits, prints and drawings, and medals were sold by Sotheby in 1819. Part 1, Bindley Granger. Part 2, portraits. Part 3, prints and drawings. [Part 4], medals. These realised ?7692.
John North?s library was sold in 1819 by Evans in three parts. Part 1, nine days, 1497 lots, ?4285. Part 2, twelve days, 2175 lots, ?5679. Part 3, four days, 842 lots, ?2842. Total, ?12,806.
Evans sold George Watson Taylor?s library in 1823. Part 1, six days, 965 lots, ?3850. Part 2, eight days, 1207 lots, ?4926.
The great Fonthill Abbey sale (Beckford?s collection) occurred in 1823.
The sale occupied thirty-seven days, of which twenty were taken up with the disposal of the library of 20,000 volumes. The auctioneer was Mr.
Phillips of New Bond Street, and the place of sale was the Abbey.
George Na.s.sau?s library was sold by Evans in 1824. Part 1, twelve days, 2603 lots, ?4894. Part 2, eight days, 1661 lots, ?3611.
A still finer library than this was sold in the same year by Evans, that of Sir Mark Masterman Sykes, Bart. Part 1, eleven days, 1676 lots, ?9505. Part 2, six days, 825 lots, ?4580. Part 3, eight days, 1190 lots, ?4644, making a total of 3691 lots, which realised ?18,729.
Almost a rival to this was the sale by Evans in 1827 of the library of John Dent, F.R.S. Part 1, nine days, 1502 lots, ?6278. Part 2, nine days, 1474 lots, ?8762. Totals, 2976 lots, and ?15,040.
In 1827 the library of the Duke of York was sold at Sotheby?s for ?5718.
The Earl of Guilford?s library was sold by Evans in seven parts in the years 1828, 1829, 1830, and 1835. There were forty days and 8511 lots, and the total amount realised was ?12,175. These totals were made up as follows:--Part 1 (1828), nine days, 1788 lots, ?1665. Part 2 (1829), six days, 1459 lots, ?1757. Part 3 (1829), three days, 740 lots, ?880.
Ma.n.u.script (1830), five days, 679 lots, ?4441. Library from Corfu: Part I (1830), five days, 1124 lots, ?998. Part 2 (1831), four days, 722 lots, ?678. Remaining portion (1835), eight days, 1999 lots, ?1756.
The great sale of George Hibbert?s library by Evans was commenced in 1829, forty-two days? sale, 8794 lots, ?6816.
Evans sold in 1831 the small but fine library of the d.u.c.h.esse de Berri, who is described on the catalogue as an ?Ill.u.s.trious Foreign Personage.?
There were five days, and 846 lots, which realised ?5160.
In 1832 Evans sold the library of Philip Hurd for ?5545. There were 1464 lots, which occupied eight days in selling.
In this same year the choicer portion of John Broadley?s library was sold, also by Evans. There were 589 lots in three days? sale, which realised ?2052. The second portion was sold during six days in 1833, 1225 lots, which realised ?3707.
Joseph Haslewood?s library was sold by Evans in 1833. This was an eight days? sale, consisting of 1855 lots; which realised ?2471. The amount was probably more than the late proprietor expected, as he said he would refuse a thousand pound cheque in exchange for his books. Dibdin remarks in his ?Reminiscences? on the fact that Haslewood always intended that his books should be sold by Sotheby. He was in the habit of saying, ?What will Sam Sotheby make of this or that after I am gone??
In 1833 and 1834 the library of P. A. Hanrott was sold by Evans in five parts, and during forty-seven days, for ?22,409. There were 10,826 lots.
These totals are obtained as follows:--Part 1 (1833), twelve days, 2504 lots, ?7487. Part 2 (1833), twelve days, 2574 lots, ?5161. Part 3 (1834), twelve days, 2753 lots, ?5727. Part 4 (1834), six days, 1489 lots, ?2845. Part 5 (1834), five days, 1506 lots, ?1189.
The great sale of the library of Richard Heber took place during the years 1834, 1835, and 1836. Mr. H. Foss has written the following totals for the twelve parts in a copy of the catalogue in the British Museum.
Two hundred and two days of sale, 52,676 lots, 119,613 volumes, which sold for ?56,774. The proportionate total cost to Mr. Heber of the library is put at ?77,750. The following are the particulars of the various parts:--Part 1, April and May 1834, sold by Sotheby & Son, twenty-six days, 7486 lots, ?5615. Part 2, June and July (Sotheby), twenty-five days, 6590 lots, ?5958. Part 3, November (Sotheby), seventeen days, 5055 lots, ?2116. Part 4, December, sold by R. H. Evans, fifteen days, 3067 lots, ?7248. Part 5, January and February 1835, sold by B. Wheatley, twenty days, 5693 lots, ?2623. Part 6, March and April (Evans), twenty days, 4666 lots, ?6771. Part 7, May and June (Evans), twenty-one days, 6797 lots, ?4035. Part 8, February and March 1836 (Evans), twelve days, 3170 lots, ?3955. Part 9, April (Sotheby), fourteen days, 3218 lots, ?6463. Part 10, May and June (Sotheby), fourteen days, 3490 lots, ?2117. Part 11, ma.n.u.scripts (Evans), ten days, 1717 lots, ?8964. Part 12, July (Wheatley), eight days, 1727 lots, ?894.
Part 13 (and last) was sold in February 1837 by Wheatley, six days, 1558 lots, ?780. This amount must be added to the totals of the twelve parts given above.
In 1835 the remarkable collection of Dr. Kloss of Frankfort was sold by Sotheby & Son. It contained many original and unpublished ma.n.u.scripts and printed books, with MS. annotations attributed to Philip Melancthon.
There were 4682 lots, which took twenty days to sell, and realised ?2261. The catalogue was the work of Samuel Leigh Sotheby, and he expended much labour upon it.
Evans sold in 1835 the fine library of the Comte de Noailles, who is described in the catalogue as ?a distinguished collector.? There were 952 lots, sold in five days for ?3188.
The Hon. Baron (Sir William) Bolland?s library was sold by Evans in 1840. The sale consisted of 2940 lots, and occupied thirteen days, realising ?3019. In the next year was sold, also by Evans, the library of Thomas Hill (supposed to be the original of Paul Pry), during seven days. There were 1684 lots, which brought ?1424.
The library of George Chalmers, F.R.S., was sold by Evans in 1841 and 1842, and the catalogue was divided into three parts. Part 1, September and October 1841, nine days, 2292 lots, ?2190. Part 2, March 1842, six days, 1514 lots, ?1918. Part 3, November 1842, eight days, 1966 lots, ?2081.
Horace Walpole?s collections were sold at Strawberry Hill by George Robins in April and May 1842, during twenty-four days. The first six days were devoted to the sale of the library, which consisted of 1555 lots, and realised ?3900. It was very badly catalogued, and the books and books of prints, collection of portraits, &c., forming the seventh and eighth days? sale, were withdrawn, re-catalogued, and extended to a ten days? sale.
The library of Lord Berwick was sold at Sotheby?s in April and May 1843 for ?6726.
The great sale of the years 1844 and 1845, at Evans?s, was that of the extensive library of the Duke of Suss.e.x, which occupied sixty-one days in selling, and consisted of 14,107 lots. The total amount realised was ?19,148. The sale was divided into six parts, as follows:--Part 1, July 1844, theology, twenty-four days, 5551 lots, ?8438. Part 2, July and August 1844, ma.n.u.scripts, four days, 510 lots, ?3126. Part 3, August 1844, history, topography, voyages and travels, six days, 1523 lots, ?2096. Part 4, January and February 1845, Greek cla.s.sics, foreign history, &c., eleven days, 2641 lots, ?2121. Part 5, April and May 1845, poetry, drama, polygraphy, Latin cla.s.sics, belles-lettres, &c., twelve days, 2956 lots, ?2649. Part 6, August 1845, four days, 926 lots, ?718.
The library of Mr. B. H. Bright was sold at Sotheby?s in three divisions in 1845, and the total amount realised was ?8997.
In 1849 Messrs. Southgate & Barrett tried the experiment of selling the library of the Rev. H. F. Lyte and J. W. M. Lyte in the evening, but the new departure (or rather, revival of an old practice) did not meet with approval, and the practice was not followed. There were 4368 lots, and the sale occupied seventeen evenings.
In this same year the world was startled by the dispersion of the Duke of Buckingham?s property at Stowe House, and Messrs. Sotheby sold the library during twenty-four days. There were 6211 lots, and the total amount realised for library and prints was ?14,155. The Stowe MSS. were sold by private contract to the Earl of Ashburnham for ?8000.
Since this time the sale of great libraries from the old family mansions have been so numerous, that little surprise is felt when another is added to the long list.
Messrs. Sotheby sold in 1851 the library of Granville Penn, during six days, for ?7845; in 1851 the library of E. V. Utterson, during eight days, for ?5494; in 1853 the library of Dawson Turner for ?4562, and that of Baron Taylor for ?4087; in 1854 the private library of William Pickering for ?10,700; in 1857 the library of the Earl of Shrewsbury for ?3250.
Between 1859 and 1864 were sold at Sotheby?s the various portions of the library of Mons. Gulielmo Libri. The 1176 lots of ma.n.u.scripts were sold in eight days of March and April 1859, and realised ?6783. The ?choicer portion? of the library was sold in August of the same year, thirteen days, 2824 lots, ?8822.
In 1861 the mathematical and general library was sold. Part 1, A to L, twelve days, 4335 lots, ?1349. Part 2, M to Z, eight days, lots 4336 to 7268, ?877.
The ?reserved portion? was sold in July 1862, during four days. The number of lots was 713, and these sold for the immense sum of ?10,328, or an average of over ?14 per lot.