Books, Maps & Manuscripts

Date: 22nd Aug, 2025 10:30 GMT/BST
Preview Lots: 4

A first edition copy of the landmark 19th century ornithological publication The Birds of Great Britain by John Gould is coming up for sale with an estimate of £25,000-35,000. Celebrated for its scientific accuracy, artistic excellence and detailed life-like depictions, the five-volume work was published between 1862 and 1873 and features 367 hand-coloured lithographs depicting all the bird species in Britain that were known at the time.

Also of note is a very good copy of the fine botanical work Illustratio Systematis Sexualis Linnaei…. An Illustration of the Sexual System of Linnaeus by John Miller will be offered in the same sale with an estimate of £8,000-12,000. Miller, born Johann Sebastian Mueller in Nuremberg, published the work in parts between 1770 and 1777, and the volume is filled with accurate and beautiful illustrations of the landmark system of Carl Linnaeus.

The sale will also include interesting 17th century Stafford Gaol Calendars of Prisoners, and a good variety of books, maps and manuscripts encompassing a broad range of collecting areas from early antiquarian books to modern first editions, alongside illustrations, private press, manuscripts, maps and atlases, early photographs, autographed letters and historic documents.

Click here to find out more about consigning to upcoming sales

Thursday 21st August 10am-5pm and the morning of the sale from 8am

Buyer's Premium:
24% + VAT (28.8% in total) 

Anti-Money Laundering Regulations
We conduct appropriate Due Diligence checks to comply with current Anti-Money Laundering regulations. Full Buyer’s Terms can be found HERE

Collections:
Please note you will be required to remove your purchased items within two working days of the sale unless by prior arrangement. Collections are by appointment from Monday-Friday 8.30am-5pm. Saturday collections are only available when there is a sale and STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. To make an appointment call 01969 623780 or email reception@tennants-ltd.co.uk

Terms & Conditions specific to Books:
If, upon collation, any book sold in a specialist Book Sale as an individual item is found to lack any text-leaves or illustrations, the item may be returned to Tennants within seven days of the Day of Sale with a written description of the defect and in the same condition as it was purchased.

This warranty shall not apply to:

• Any defect mentioned in the catalogue description, pre-sale condition report (whether provided on the Tennants website or any other online platforms), any written or verbal representation made privately to the buyer, or in any announcement made at the time of sale.
• The absence of any blanks, half-titles, errata (leaves or slips), tissue-guards, or advertisements; damage to bindings; any staining, spotting, marginalia, marginal tears or any other defects not affecting the completeness of the text or illustrations.
• Atlases, maps, manuscripts, periodicals, postcards or ephemera.
• Books not individually named in a catalogue description.
• Books explicitly catalogued as not collated or sold as seen.
• Any book lots sold in any Tennants sale other than the specialist Book Sale

Name: Ruari Williams
Email: ruari.williams@tennants-ltd.co.uk

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Books, Maps and Manuscripts (4)