Purcell Auctioneers: Book Auction of c. 580 Lots to include Antiquarian Books incl. Books from Three Private Libraries, Rare - Signed - Limited Editions, Local Histories, Republican Interest Books, GAA etc, 51326, Birr
Auction Details
- Auction Date
- May 13, 2026 - May 13, 2026
| Lot Number | Author Name | Book Title | Place Printed | Year Published | Estimate | Actual Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 427 | William Trevor; Seamus Murphy; Chester G Anderson; Peter Somerville-Large; O B Duane; Seamus Heaney | Felicia's Journey; Stone Mad; James Joyce and his world; 1854-2004 The Story of thr National Gallery; Yeats Romantic Visonary; Soundings '72 |
1994; 1966; 1967; 2004; 1998; 1972 | GBP 40.00 - 80.00 | GBP 50.00 | |
| 428 | Seamus Heaney | Sweeney Astray; Sweeney's flight |
London | 1983; 1992 | GBP 150.00 - 250.00 | GBP 275.00 |
| 429 | Seamus Heaney | From The Republic of Conscience; District and Circle; Preoccupations: Selected Prose, 1968-1978; Human Chain; The Spirit Level; Seeing Things |
1985; 2006; 1980; 1996; 1991 | GBP 100.00 - 200.00 | GBP 81.25 | |
| 430 | Seamus Heaney | The Riverbank Field |
2007 | GBP 350.00 - 450.00 | GBP 400.00 | |
| 431 | Seamus Heaney; Thomas C Foster | The Spirit Level; Poems: Volume One; Poems: 4 Vol Boxed Set; Seamus Heaney |
1996; 1995; 1989 | GBP 50.00 - 100.00 | GBP 50.00 | |
| 432 | Seamus Heaney; Thomas C Foster; Rand Brandes; Michael J Durkan | Finders Keepers; Seamus Heaney; Seamus Heaney- A Bibliography 1959-2003 |
2002; 2008 | GBP 50.00 - 80.00 | Not Sold | |
| 433 | Seamus Heaney | A Lough Neagh Sequence |
1969 | GBP 150.00 - 200.00 | Not Sold | |
| 434 | Seamus Heaney | N Books, including: The Government of the Tongue |
1988; 1991; 1996; 1998; 1999; 2001; 2004; 2006; 2010 | GBP 100.00 - 200.00 | GBP 212.50 | |
| 435 | Seamus Heaney | District and Circle; The Redress of Poetry; Electric Light; Selected poems, 1965-1975; New Selected Poems 1966-1987 |
2006; 1995; 2001; 1980; 1990 | GBP 80.00 - 160.00 | Not Sold | |
| 437 | Benedict Kiely | Counties of Contention; All The Way to Bantry Bay and other Irish Journeys; The Waves Behind Us; Drink to the Bird; Proxopera |
1945; 1999; 1991; 1987 | GBP 50.00 - 80.00 | Not Sold | |
| 438 | Sebastian Barry; Donal Ryan; James Ryan; Edna O'Brien | The Secret Scripture; The Spinning Heart; Home From England; Country Girl |
2008; 2013; 1995; 2012 | GBP 50.00 - 80.00 | GBP 37.50 | |
| 439 | Enda O'Brien; Gus Smith; Des Hickey; Jennifer Johnston; Julie Parsons | Night; John B; How Many Miles to Babylon; Mary, Mary |
1972; 2002; 1974 | GBP 50.00 - 80.00 | GBP 43.75 | |
| 440 | George Davis | What I Know about Foreign Securities |
New York, USA | 1957 | GBP 80.00 - 100.00 | GBP 62.50 |
| 441 | Myles Na Gopaleen (Brian O'NOLAN); Flann O’Brien | An Beal Boct; At Swim Two Birds |
Dublin, Ireland | 1942; 1960 | GBP 40.00 - 60.00 | Not Sold |
| 442 | Andrew Donlevy; Rev Father Colmcille; Father Paul Mary; Michael Walsh; Dom Bede Camm; D.O. Hunter Blair; G.F. Hill; Thomas Burke | N Books, including: The Catechism, or Christian doctrine by way of question and answer |
1848; 1958; 1959; 1955; 1929; 1915 | GBP 40.00 - 60.00 | Not Sold | |
| 443 | L. Frank Baum | The New Wizard of Oz |
Indianapolis | 1903 | GBP 40.00 - 60.00 | GBP 62.50 |
| 444 | Michael D Higgins; Conor O'Callaghan; Neville Keery | Poetry: A collection of Booklets/Pamphlets |
1993; 1990; 2003; 2007 | GBP 50.00 - 80.00 | GBP 62.50 | |
| 446 | F R Higgins | F R Higgins: The Dark Breed; Island Blood; The Gap of Brightness |
1927; 1925; 1940 | GBP 60.00 - 120.00 | GBP 50.00 | |
| 447 | John M Synge; Sean Brophy; Thomas MacDonagh; Ternce Gray; John O' Donoghue | Irish Interest: Plays; Turning Points; Poems; Cuchulainn; In A Quiet Land |
1922; 2013; 1917; 1925; 1957 | GBP 40.00 - 80.00 | GBP 50.00 | |
| 448 | James Clarence Mangan; Padraic O’Conaire; Padraig Colum | The Poets and Poetry of Munster; Field and Fair; Life and Writings of James Clarence Mangan; The King of Ireland's Son |
circa 1870; 1897; 1930 | GBP 50.00 - 80.00 | GBP 62.50 | |
| 449 | Kahlil Gibran | The Madman His Parables and Poems |
London, United Kingdom | 1919 | GBP 380.00 - 420.00 | Not Sold |
| 450 | Desmond Egan; Derek Mahon; Paul Durcan | Poetry: Posie Scelte; Selected Poems; The Art of Life |
N/A | GBP 50.00 - 80.00 | GBP 37.50 | |
| 451 | Timothy Wharton; Nina Salaman; James Stephens; Thomas McGreevy; Robert Herring | The Coloured Kingdom; Songs of Many Days; Insurrections; T.S. Eliot; The Impecunious Captain |
1940; 1923; 1909; 1931; 1944 | GBP 40.00 - 60.00 | Not Sold | |
| 452 | Ernest Dowson; Arthur Symons; Aubrey Beardsley; William Rothenstein | The Poems of Ernest Dowson |
London | N/A | GBP 40.00 - 60.00 | GBP 56.25 |
| 453 | Desmond O'Grady; Louis Le Brrocquy | The Gododdin |
1977 | GBP 100.00 - 200.00 | GBP 62.50 |
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Sotheby’s
Shelf Life: Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper from the Library of Stanley J. Seeger and Christopher Cone
25 June – July 7Sotheby’s, July 7: Ludwig van Beethoven. Autograph sketches for the overture "Die Weihe des Hauses", op.124, [1822], UNPUBLISHED. £150,000 to £200,000.Sotheby’s, July 7: Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice, 1813, first edition, 3 volumes, contemporary half calf. £50,000 to £70,000.Sotheby’s, July 7: Walt Whitman. Leaves of Grass, Brooklyn, 1855, first edition, first issue, original green cloth, the Doheny copy. £50,000 to £70,000.Sotheby’s, July 7: Binding—Sangorski & Sutcliffe—Omar Khayyam. Rubaiyat, London, 1872, third edition, in a magnificent jewelled Peacock binding. £15,000 to £20,000.Sotheby’s, July 7: George Eliot. Middlemarch, Edinburgh and London, 1871, first edition in the original parts. £20,000 to £30,000. -
Forum Auctions
The Private Library:
Fine Printing & Private Press books, the collection of the late David Chambers
July 9, 2026Forum, July 9: Hassall (Joan) A large collection of over 300 original woodblocks of engravings for various books, v.d., with Hassall's engraver's glass water-globe (Qty) - Est. £10,000-15,000Forum, July 9: Eragny Press.- [Bradley (Katherine Harris) & Edith Emma Cooper], "Michael Field." Whym Chow, Flame of Love, one of only 27 copies, inscribed by Bradley, the rarest book from the press, 1914. - Est. £3,000-4,000Forum, July 9: [Moore (Thomas Sturge)] [Wood Engravings], 71 wood-engravings printed by David Chambers from the original blocks, the only set on Japanese Hosho paper, from an edition of 5 sets, [1970]. - Est. £3,000-4,000Forum Auctions
The Private Library:
Fine Printing & Private Press books, the collection of the late David Chambers
July 9, 2026Forum, July 9: La Fontaine (Jean de) Contes et Nouvelles en vers, 2 vol., engraved plates after Eisen, fine early 19th century blue morocco, gilt, by Bradel l'ainé, Amsterdam [Paris], 1762. - Est. £2,000-3,000Forum, July 9: Erotica.- Prostitution.- Pretty Women of Paris (The); Their Names and Addresses, Qualities and Faults..., [Paris], privately printed at the Press of the Prefecture de Police, 1883. - Est. £3,000-4,000Forum, July 9: Vale Press.- Ricketts (Charles) & Lucien Pissarro. De la Typographie et de l'Harmonie de la Page Imprimée…, [one of 216 copies], bound in dark blue morocco tooled in gilt, by Sarah T.Prideaux, 1898. - Est. £1,000-1,500Forum Auctions
The Private Library:
Fine Printing & Private Press books, the collection of the late David Chambers
July 9, 2026Forum, July 9: Martin (John) Illustrations of the Bible, complete set of 20 mezzotints, good impressions, rarely found in early states, [c.1831-1835]. - Est. £1,000-1,500Forum, July 9: Golden Cockerel Press.- Four Gospels of the Lord Jesus Christ (The), one of 500 copies, Mary Gill's copy, Waltham St. Lawrence, 1931 with a signed proof of engraving on japon numbered 10/10 (2) - Est. £5,000-7,000Forum, July 9: Boccaccio (Giovanni) The Decameron, 3 vol., vol.1 extra-illustrated by John Buckland Wright with c.150 erotic original drawings in pen & ink and pencil, 1886 [extra-illustrated c.1940]. - Est. £10,000-15,000Forum Auctions
The Private Library:
Fine Printing & Private Press books, the collection of the late David Chambers
July 9, 2026Forum, July 9: Cox (Morris) Collection of Gogmagog Press Books, 35 vol., rare complete collection of printed books issued by the press, limited editions, most signed by Cox, 1957-83. - Est. £10,000-15,000Forum, July 9: Wynkyn de Worde.- [Terentius Afer (Publius)] [Comedie...], [Paris, Josse Badius: sold in London by Wynkyn de Worde, & others], [15 July 1504]. - Est. £4,000-6,000Forum, July 9: Mosley (James) Ornamented Types. Twenty-Three Alphabets from the Foundry of Louis John Pouchée, 2 vol., one of 10 copies for presentation, from an edition of 210, 1992-93. - Est. £1,000-2,000 -
Forum Auctions
The 10th Anniversary Sale
Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
July 16, 2026Forum, July 16: Inundation papyrus. P.Michael 4, the ‘Inundation papyrus’, a geographical account of the Nile near Canopus, in Greek, remains of two columns from a manuscript scroll on papyrus, Egypt, second century CE. £12,000-18,000Forum, July 16: Book of Hours, use of Sarum, manuscript on vellum, 6 full-page miniatures, with famous Middle English inscriptions, Southern Netherlands for the English market, [c.1430]. £30,000-50,000Forum, July 16: Qu'ran, Arabic manuscript on burnished, stencilled, and gold-flecked paper, 447ff., Sultanate Gujarat, Ahmadabad, [after 1411 but no later than 1442]. £15,000-20,000Forum Auctions
The 10th Anniversary Sale
Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
July 16, 2026Forum, July 16: Turner (William). A New boke of the natures and properties of all wines that are commonly vsed here in England, rare first edition of the first English book on wine, By William Seres, 1568. £20,000-£30,000Forum, July 16: Spenser (Edmund). The Faerie Queene. first edition, Printed [by John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, 1590. £30,000-40,000Forum, July 16: Shakespeare (William). The Comedie of Errors, extracted from the first folio, Isaac Jaggard and Edward Blount, 1623. £15,000-20,000Forum Auctions
The 10th Anniversary Sale
Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
July 16, 2026Forum, July 16: Fleming (Ian). Casino Royale, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author, 1953. £40,000-60,000Forum, July 16: d'Agoty (Jacques-Fabien Gautier). Anatomie de la Tête, first edition, Paris, chez le Sieur Gautier, 1748. £10,000-15,000Forum, July 16: Martial Arts.- Lee (Bruce). 'Praying Mantis style' Kung Fu book, containing numerous annotations, diagrams and graphs in Bruce Lee's hand, c. 1960. £50,000-70,000Forum Auctions
The 10th Anniversary Sale
Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
July 16, 2026Forum, July 16: Warre (Capt. Henry James). Sketches in North America and the Oregon Territory, first edition, rare hand-coloured issue, 1848. £30,000-40,000Forum, July 16: Norie (John William). The Marine Atlas, or Seaman's Complete Pilot for all the principal places in the known world..., 1826. £30,000-50,000Forum, July 16: Mao Tse-tung.- Kim Il-sung.-[Note book for visitors from China to Korea], signed by Mao and Kim, [Beijing, 1954]. £10,000-15,000