MESSRS. S. LEIGH SOTHEBY & JOHN WILKINSON, Auctioneers of Literary Property and Works illustrative of the Fine Arts, will SELL by AUCTION, at their House, 3. Wellington Street, Strand, on THURSDAY, June 29, and following Day, at 1 precisely, a very valuable and important COLLECTION OF EARLY ENGLISH POETRY, more particularly of the reigns of Elizabeth, James I., and Charles I., from the extensive library of an eminent collector, deceased; including many volumes of the greatest rarity and interest, obtained from the principal sales during the last 40 years.—May be viewed two days previously, and Catalogues had; if in the Country, on Receipt of Six Postage Stamps.
THE PRINCIPAL PORTION of the very VALUABLE, IMPORTANT, and exceedingly CHOICE LIBRARY of J. D. GARDNER, Esq., extending over Eleven Days' Sale.
MESSRS. S. LEIGH SOTHEBY & JOHN WILKINSON, Auctioneers of Literary Property and Works illustrative of the Fine Arts, will SELL by AUCTION, at their House, 3. Wellington Street, Strand, on THURSDAY, July 6, and Ten following Days, at 1 precisely each Day, the principal PORTION of the very valuable and choice LIBRARY of J. D. GARDNER, ESQ., of Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, removed from his late Residence, Bottisham Hall, near Newmarket. The Collection comprises several of the first and very rare editions of the Classics, forming beautiful specimens of the typography of the 15th Century; a very extensive assemblage of the early typographical productions of this country, comprising beautiful specimens from the presses of Caxton, Maclinia, Pynson, Wynkyn de Worde, and others, including a most beautiful copy of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, printed by Wynkyn de Worde; a rare assemblage of the very early editions of the Scriptures in English, including a remarkably fine copy of the first edition, usually termed Coverdale's Bible, complete with the exception of two leaves, which are admirably supplied in fac-simile by Harris, and may be considered as unique, it having the original Map of the Holy Land complete. Among other versions of the Scripture may be mentioned the first edition of the New Testament, by Tyndale. The Library is also rich in early English theology, history, and particularly so in the poetry of the Elizabethan period, including many of the rarest volumes that have occurred for sale in the Heber, Jolley, Utterson, and other collections. Also the first four folio editions of the Works of Shakspeare, the copy of the first edition being from the library of John Wilks, Esq., the finest copy ever sold by public auction. Among other important and valuable Works in the collection, may be mentioned a remarkably choice and very complete collection of the Works of De Bry. Early Italian poetry and general Italian literature form a feature of the collection, many of them being first editions and of considerable rarity. There are also many other valuable books in general literature, history, and topography.
Catalogues are now ready, and may be had on application; if in the Country, on the Receipt of Twelve Postage Stamps.
LONDON, SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1854.