From rare first editions and literary treasures to books with fascinating stories of their own, Caitlin Riley has a front-row seat to the world of rare books.
The co-founder of Stonehouse-based Quire Auctions talks about her passion for books, the stories behind some of the remarkable items passing through the auction house, and what makes a book truly valuable.
With Quire Auctions continuing to build a reputation for specialist rare books, manuscripts, first editions and works on paper, Caitlin also shares an insight into life behind the scenes at the Gloucestershire auction house.
Well, here at Quire Auctions HQ we’ve bucked the trend of a quiet summer, working excitedly behind the scenes on the first of our Autumn auctions, which is online now and finishing on the 16th September.
The sale includes part of the literary estate of popular children’s writer Geoffrey Trease. Writing from the 1930s all the way up until the late 1990s, Trease’s works were generally works of historical fiction aimed at young people, although he did also write a few novels and an autobiography in three parts. Before the Second World War, his works were heavily Left-wing, and the auction includes extremely rare first editions from Trease’s library written during this period.
The star of the auction is an exceptional handwritten three-page letter from George Orwell to Trease; the letter responds to a letter from Trease following the publication of ‘Boys’ Weeklies’, an article in which Orwell is critical of Frank Richards and his Billy Bunter series, and similar Right-wing, jingoistic literature for boys published at the time. The letter is a continuation of this theme, posing the question whether a Left-leaning publication targeting boys and the young would be feasible. It carries an estimate of £5,000 to £8,000. Letters from Orwell are very rare, and to see one so significant and politically charged all the more so!
Of course, once a catalogue is online we look straight towards the next one, which will include Part II of the Patrick Wood collection of children’s and illustrated books. It really is such a joy to peruse the striking illustrations by the likes of Edmund Dulac, Pauline Baynes, Mervyn Peake, Errol le Cain and Ralph Steadman as we catalogue! One of the highlights of this auction will be a first edition copy of ‘The Magician’s Nephew’ by C. S. Lewis, complete in a bright dust wrapper, carrying an estimate of £400-600 – the sixth of the seven books in the Chronicles of Narnia series.
We’re officially on view ahead of the Books & Works on Paper auction including works from the estate of Geoffrey Trease on the 16th of September from 10am until 4pm, but welcome visits by appointment as well – all who appreciate books and their contents are welcome at Quire Auctions! Just email or ring to let us know you’re coming so we can make sure the biscuit tin is full – it definitely feels like that season now!
You can reach us at contact@quireauctions.com. We look forward to welcoming you soon – in the meantime, thirty big boxes of books won’t catalogue themselves!
