Books, Maps & Manuscripts

Overview

We research, value and auction a wide range of desirable books, maps and manuscripts – from antiquity to modern, including first editions, leather bindings, atlases and maps.

From Shakespeare and Charles Dickens to modern classics by JRR Tolkien and PG Wodehouse to Ian Fleming first editions, we handle all kinds of volumes from the populist to the obscure – such as a rare anthology of all the matches played by Nottingham Old Cricket Club between 1771 to 1829, which sold for £6,400.

A more recent literary phenomena is that of the boy wizard Harry Potter. A first edition, first impression of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone published by Bloomsbury in 1997 and bought as a withdrawn library book for just 30p sold at auction with us for £10,500. Of the 500 hardback books initially produced, only 300 were sent to libraries. Read more here and check out our guide on identifying a first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

Another related field is that of publishing copyright. International bids stacked up from all over the world when Richard Winterton Auctioneers sold the copyright to Firefox author Craig Thomas’ novels for £36,000.

Fans regard Mr Thomas as the true inventor of the techno-thriller and his 1977 landmark book Firefox was made into the 1982 Hollywood blockbuster of the same name directed by and starring Clint Eastwood.