Unlock a rare window into a celebrated private library and its sale.
This auction catalog gathers a world of priceless books, manuscripts, and early prints gathered by the late Sir Francis Freeling, offering a snapshot of a collector’s eye from Caxton to Shakespeare-era works. Readers will glimpse famous titles, extraordinary bindings, and distinctive bibliographic highlights that made this collection truly notable.
The catalog details a fall of rare octavo and quarto volumes, from prized early English translations to unique editions and vellum bindings. It also shows the careful sale terms and the meticulous organization of a multi‑day auction, giving readers a sense of how such a distinguished library was presented to bidders.
What you’ll experience
- A catalog of rare and collectible items, including early English Bibles, heralded travel and history works, and landmark poetry and prose.
- Notable mentions of rare imprints and bindings, with emphasis on rarity and condition.
- Context around prominent writers and printers from the English book trade, and the market for historic literature.
- A sense of the historical auction process and how buyers engaged with exceptional volumes.
Ideal for readers who love bibliophilia, book collecting, and the history of English printing and book trade.