25th Jan, 2023 10:30 GMT/BST
The David Stather Library
![Lot 37 - Chaucer [Geoffrey] The Workes of Our Ancient...](https://tennants.blob.core.windows.net/stock/2998921-0-medium.jpg?v=63793835481673 "Click for high resolution")
37
Chaucer [Geoffrey]
The Workes of Our Ancient and learned English Poet, Geffrey Chaucer, newly printed .....
Printed by Adam Islip, 1602, folio in sixes, [23], 179, 178-350, 353-375 leaves (foliation irregularities but register continuous), portrait plate, lacking first blank [a1]. [a2-a4] and f.370-375 replaced by facsimiles, f. 376 and final fourteen unnumbered leaves called for by ESTC not present, The Storie of Thebes by John Lidgate is completed at f. 375 without any catchword, light ?ink marks to f.159-163, hole in f. 169 with some loss of text, light staining and edge wear to some early and later leaves, repairs to portrait plate, ownership inscription of Sir Ed. Hungerford and his daughter Rachell Skiffington to portrait plate, annotation in early hand to several other pages (including name of Richard ?Franklyn dated 1660), re-backed calf binding. ESTC S107210
Sold for £1,200
Estimated at £400 - £600
Auction: The David Stather Library, 25th Jan, 2023
A single-owner sale of the Library of David Stather (1940-2022)
The library comprises a large collection of early books, pamphlets and manuscripts on English history, focusing on the English Civil War, the ‘Popish Plot’, the Monmouth Rebellion and the Glorious Revolution, early Parliament and the Monarchy of that period, the development of English law, the Reformation, early bibles and prayer books, chronicles of English history and some very early books on witchcraft.
The earliest manuscript dates from 1285, and the earliest book is an incunable from 1486, however the majority date from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Interestingly, many are books that contribute to English history rather than just reporting on it, for example the collection includes books reporting the Popish Plot, which were written specifically to create social division through what is now known as ‘fake news’.
The books have been lovingly preserved by David Stather and the auction provides a rare opportunity to purchase books from a very focused collection built up over his lifetime.
Please submit any enquiries for the sale to books@tennants-ltd.co.uk
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Tuesday 24th January 10am-5pm and the morning of the sale from 8am
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