Based in Stonehouse, Quire Auctions was founded by Caitlin Riley, Mark Skipper and Jacqueline Skipper — a team bringing decades of combined experience in the rare book trade, alongside a proven track record of curating auctions that consistently exceed expectations. Here Caitlin talks us through what’s been happening at Quire Auctions.
Since our first auction at the end of February, the doors at Quire Auctions have been well and truly open, and we’ve had a steady stream of wonderful books flooding in and going out! From a first edition of ‘The Last Battle’, the final work in the Chronicles of Narnia series, personally gifted from C. S. Lewis himself, which sold for £3,600; to a remarkable bound archive of Quaker ephemera including a significant letter from prison reformer Elizabeth Fry – and not forgetting all the modern first editions, beautiful decorative bindings, charming illustrated books, and important antiquarian titles in between – it’s really been a fantastic start.
With auctions published every three weeks, we’re kept nice and busy, with an auction catalogue online two weeks out of three – the other week we spend carefully packing up treasured books ready to be sent out to their new homes! We love to welcome kindred book lovers to the office; whether you’d like to consign some books or be advised on their value or history, to browse and view lots in an upcoming auction, or even just have a bookish natter and share book recommendations, we’re delighted to see you – just email the office to let us know to expect you so we can have the kettle boiled and biscuit tin replenished!
Currently online, we have an auction including a collection of vintage and contemporary science fiction works, as well as a wide variety of signed first editions, including two signed copies from the ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ (Game of Thrones) series by George R. R. Martin, and titles besides signed by John Le Carre, Iain M. Banks and Brian W. Aldiss, making for colourful and exciting bookshelves – if only we had the time to dip in for a chapter or two! This sale finishes on the 15th of July from 7.30pm, so do let us know if you’d like to come and view the books.
The next auction the team are working on includes a large collection of children’s and illustrated books, with highlights including a first edition of Judith Kerr’s beloved ‘The Tiger Who Came To Tea’ in the very rare original dust wrapper, as well as two manuscript pocket diaries kept by a soldier during the Second Boer War before his tragic demise. It really is our pleasure to handle such exciting and varied materials. Quire Auctions was born from a passion for stories and making sure that the books that contain them and the people who are custodians of them are treated with the care and respect they so deserve. We can hardly believe it’s just six months since we opened the doors to our office and already we’re bringing those stories to a wider audience… thanks to the Stroud Times for being a part of that journey!
Our next auction goes live on 22nd July. If you have books you’d like to consign or would like valuation advice, we’d be delighted to hear from you at contact@quireauctions.com.
