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Chorley's: The W. H. Smith Archive - Timed Auction

Auction Reports


Auction Name	The W. H. Smith Archive - Timed Auction	Total Sales (GBP)	21,550.00
Auction Date	August 31, 2025 - August 31, 2025	Low Estimate of Lots Sold (GBP)	5,330.00
Sale Number	#9377	High Estimate of Lots Sold (GBP)	8,290.00
Total Lots	32
Sold Lots	32.0	Low Estimate of All Lots (GBP)	5,330.00
% of Lots Sold	100.00%	High Estimate of All Lots (GBP)	8,290.00
Unsold Lots	0	Total Sales as a % of High Est.	259.95%

Top twenty-five by sale price

Lot Number	Author Name	Book Title	Year Published	Estimate	Actual Price
33		Five W. H. Smith enamel advertising signs	circa 1930	GBP 120.00 - 180.00	GBP 6,375.00
68		A tiled W. H. Smith advertising sign 'Books on Poultry Keeping'		GBP 200.00 - 300.00	GBP 1,937.50
51		Two W. H. Smith enamel advertising signs		GBP 300.00 - 500.00	GBP 1,812.50
32		A W. H. Smith Newsboy advertising sign		GBP 400.00 - 600.00	GBP 1,750.00
43		Various complete, partially complete and fragmentary tiled display signs		GBP 200.00 - 300.00	GBP 1,075.00
55		A double sided enamelled metal W. H. Smith sign of 'The Newsboy'		GBP 600.00 - 800.00	GBP 1,050.00
48		A W. H. Smith painted 'Newsboy' hanging sign		GBP 300.00 - 500.00	GBP 925.00
49		A large tiled W. H. Smith advertising sign		GBP 300.00 - 500.00	GBP 825.00
63		A large leaded glass W. H. Smith & Son shop sign	circa 1900	GBP 400.00 - 600.00	GBP 775.00
26		A tiled W. H. Smith advertising sign		GBP 100.00 - 150.00	GBP 525.00
44		A large enamel advertising sign for W. H. Smith	circa 1930	GBP 100.00 - 200.00	GBP 525.00
31		Two cast iron advertising signs for W. H. Smith services		GBP 150.00 - 250.00	GBP 412.50
76		A near complete set of Newsbasket magazines	1908-1976	GBP 200.00 - 300.00	GBP 375.00
77		A set of Newsbasket Magazines	1908-1967	GBP 80.00 - 120.00	GBP 362.50
75		W. H. Smith Company publications		GBP 80.00 - 120.00	GBP 300.00
53		Two ovoid W. H. Smith & Son reverse painted blue glass signs		GBP 100.00 - 200.00	GBP 275.00
62		A collection of W. H. Smith in-store category signs in relief		GBP 200.00 - 300.00	GBP 275.00
52		A W. H. Smith & Son acrylic sign		GBP 100.00 - 200.00	GBP 262.50
36		Sundry W. H. Smith small signage		GBP 50.00 - 70.00	GBP 218.75
66		A leaded and stained glass sign depicting the W. H. Smith Newsboy		GBP 300.00 - 500.00	GBP 187.50
1		A large brown painted lead store or shop sign for W. H. Smith & Son	circa 1900	GBP 200.00 - 400.00	GBP 168.75
73	Williams (Eric)	The Wooden Horse	1949	GBP 120.00 - 180.00	GBP 168.75
79		A collection of Newsbasket Magazines	1908-1914	GBP 80.00 - 120.00	GBP 137.50
64		Three W. H. Smith card advertising posters	circa 1930	GBP 60.00 - 80.00	GBP 131.25
78		A set of Newsbasket Magazines	1908-1966	GBP 80.00 - 120.00	GBP 118.75

Sotheby’s
Book Week
December 9-17, 2025

Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Darwin and Wallace. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties..., [in:] Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Vol. III, No. 9., 1858, Darwin announces the theory of natural selection. £100,000 to £150,000.

Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 1997, first edition, hardback issue, inscribed by the author pre-publication. £100,000 to £150,000.

Sotheby’s, Dec. 11: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Autograph sketchleaf including a probable draft for the E flat Piano Quartet, K.493, 1786. £150,000 to £200,000.

Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Hooke, Robert. Micrographia: or some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies made by Magnifying Glasses. London: James Allestry for the Royal Society, 1667. $12,000 to $15,000.

Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Chappuzeau, Samuel. The history of jewels, first edition in English. London: T.N. for Hobart Kemp, 1671. $12,000 to $18,000.

Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Sowerby, James. Exotic Mineralogy, containing his most realistic mineral depictions, London: Benjamin Meredith, 1811, Arding and Merrett, 1817. $5,000 to $7,000.
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Swann
Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
December 9, 2025

Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 156: Cornelis de Jode, Americae pars Borealis, double-page engraved map of North America, Antwerp, 1593.

Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 206: John and Alexander Walker, Map of the United States, London and Liverpool, 1827.

Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 223: Abraham Ortelius, Typus Orbis Terrarum, hand-colored double-page engraved world map, Antwerp, 1575.

Swann
Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
December 9, 2025

Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 233: Aaron Arrowsmith, Chart of the World, oversize engraved map on 8 sheets, London, 1790 (circa 1800).

Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 239: Fielding Lucas, A General Atlas, 81 engraved maps and diagrams, Baltimore, 1823.

Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 240: Anthony Finley, A New American Atlas, 15 maps engraved by james hamilton young on 14 double-page sheets, Philadelphia, 1826.

Swann
Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
December 9, 2025

Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 263: John Bachmann, Panorama of the Seat of War, portfolio of 4 double-page chromolithographed panoramic maps, New York, 1861.

Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 265: Sebastian Münster, Cosmographei, Basel: Sebastian Henricpetri, 1558.

Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 271: Abraham Ortelius, Epitome Theatri Orteliani, Antwerp: Johann Baptist Vrients, 1601.

Swann
Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
December 9, 2025

Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 283: Joris van Spilbergen, Speculum Orientalis Occidentalisque Indiae, Leiden: Nicolaus van Geelkercken for Jodocus Hondius, 1619.

Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 285: Levinus Hulsius, Achtzehender Theil der Newen Welt, 14 engraved folding maps, Frankfurt: Johann Frederick Weiss, 1623.

Swann, Dec. 9: Lot 341: John James Audubon, Carolina Parrot, Plate 26, London, 1827.