Rare early law and manuscript collection from a prestigious British library
This auction lot presents the First Portion of a large, renowned library, featuring a curated group of early manuscripts and printed books relating to English law. It includes medieval and Renaissance works, bound volumes in calf and oak boards, and vellum manuscripts with decorative initials and period bindings. The items span a broad range of dates and formats, highlighting the long history of English legal writing and manuscript culture.
This sale offers a tangible glimpse into how law, scholarship, and bookmaking intersected across centuries. Highlights include illuminated and rubricated manuscripts, early printed treatises, and notable bindings that reflect regional book trades and collecting habits. The collection is presented as a cohesive portion of a larger library, suitable for scholars, institutions, and serious collectors.
- A wide array of early legal manuscripts and printed works, many in original bindings or with distinctive period craftsmanship
- Manuscripts on vellum and folio volumes with decorative initials, rubrication, and hand-written annotations
- Rare 15th–17th century texts reflecting the development of English law and related scholarly material
- A mix of incunable-era items and later works that illustrate historical book production and binding styles
Ideal for readers and collectors of English legal history, manuscript culture, and early printed books, or anyone seeking a tangible connection to a historic library.