FEATURES ARCHIVE

What sort of fascination do books hold for you? Is it as literary works or as objects of art in themselves?
I have always been an avid reader, but also a keen collector: they have been parallel passions. The great thing about books is that there is so much more to them than just the text. There is the ‘feel’ of the paper and the binding, the design and layout of the type, very often plates and other decorations, sometimes annotations or interesting inscriptions - of course, many of them are also a pleasure to read! Plus there is the thrill of unearthing a rare or early edition: there is nothing like owning the very first printing of a favourite work.

They say you should never a judge a book by its cover. I imagine that you do – are there any books whose covers hold a particular fascination for you?
If I had to choose one book that, for me, summed up the beauties of the binder’s art, then it would have to be a tiny 1758 Scottish Bible from the collection of the bookseller, Dick Lyon, which had a beautiful ‘herring-bone’ morocco binding: the gilt decoration was exquisite. Other examples that stick in my mind are the first edition of Keats’ Endymion (1818) in a late 19th-century embroidered silk binding and – in complete contrast – a three volume first edition of Pride and Prejudice (1813) which had been simply bound in brown cloth, possibly for a servant. It is a reminder that you should indeed be careful about judging a book by its cover.

Which book has been the hardest to say goodbye to after one of your sales?
Conrad’s Lord Jim is my favourite novel and so I was sorry to part with the first edition which he had inscribed to the literary hostess, Lady Ottoline Morrell. As a music buff, I would love to have kept the copy of Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule (1756) by Mozart’s father, Leopold, which came from the library of the great violinist, Adolf Busch. However, I think that my most cherished book was the little Collection of Poems by Shakespeare which we sold last year. Though it was printed in 1709, nearly a century after the poet’s death, it is an important and sought-after volume and it was a joy to have it on my shelves, if only for a short while.

There have been some extraordinary books and book collections sold at Christie's South Kensington over the years. Do any in particular stand out for you?
In November 2006, we offered a collection of books from the library of Lady Ottoline Morrell, which included inscribed volumes by most of the key writers of the period (1900-30). I think that libraries like these reflect the owner’s life, and the times in which they lived, more completely than any other type of collection. A single book which really stands out is the wonderful copy of La Varenne’s Le pastissier françois (The French Pastry Chef) (1655) which we sold in February of last year. This book had everything: it was a major work in a very popular collecting area; it was beautifully produced by an important family of printers, the Elzevirs; and it was in immaculate condition, in a contemporary vellum (calf ’s leather) binding. I very much doubt that it had been anywhere near a kitchen!

Have you made any unexpected finds during your visits and valuations?
I was on a book valuation and I happened to stumble across a box of papers which the client was planning to take to a car boot sale. On inspection I discovered a small collection of letters written by the 18-year-old poet Shelley to a member of the Wedgwood family in which he outlines, amongst other things, the reasons for his fervent atheism. They are typical Shelley: cocky, opinionated, but astonishingly passionate and eloquent. Thought lost, these letters had been referred to in published works on the poet’s oeuvre, so it was a great joy to be able to complete the ‘jigsaw’. On another occasion I was thrilled to find a copy of the Beardsley-illustrated edition of Oscar Wilde’s Salome (1894) which was inscribed by Wilde’s lover – and the work’s translator (from French) – Lord Alfred Douglas to the young E.F. Benson. The translation was the source of many rows between Wilde and Douglas, and the book – inscribed during one of their happier times – is a poignant memento of one of the most tragic love affairs in English literary history.

If people feel inspired to begin collecting books, where should they start?
I believe that collecting is a passion and to that extent there will always be an element of the irrational; you must follow your heart. I would suggest going to a view and, if you see something you like, buying it. We are always on hand to advise on condition, provenance and estimates, but remember that ultimately only you can decide what you like.