$7000 top bid at book auction

Press, 25 January 1986, Page 9

$7000 top bid at book auction

A top price of S7BM was the highlight of a one-off book auction in Christchurch yesterday, as dealers and collectors showed they were willing to dig deep into their pockets. A Christchurch collector paid $7BBB for George French Angas's “The New Zealanders Illustrated,” published in two volumes in 1847. The auctioneer, Mr Barry Watson, said the auction was “unbelievably successful.” About 120 people jammed his High Street auction room. He said many had clearly under-estimated how competitive the bidding would be. “One person put in a postal bid of $lO for a book that went for $225. Another buyer sent in a postal bid of $25 and the book fetched $1200.” Mr Watson said the success of the sale reflected New Zealand’s buoyant book market Although the auction had attracted dealers from throughout New Zealand, many ■ of the highest prices were paid by private collectors. Mr Watson would not disclose the total raised by the 383 lots. The books all came from the private collection of an anonymous Christchurch man. Some were collected in Europe, including / the 1847 Angas, which had been bought in London for £3500. Apart from the Angas, Sir Walter Buller’s “A History of the Birds of New Zealand,” which features hand-coloured plates and is regarded as the best printed book, fetched $2150, said Mr Watson.