WHITE KNIGHTS LIBRARY. CATALOGUE OF THAT DISTINGUISHED AND CELEBRATED LIBRARY, CONTAINING NUMEROUS VERY FINE AND RARE SPECIMENS FROM THE PRESSES OF CAXTON, PYNSON, AND WYNKEN DE WORDE, &C...WHICH WILL BE SOLD AT AUCTION BY MR. EVANS....
[Auction catalogue]: [Spencer, George, fifth Duke of Marlborough]:
[London]: Evans, 1819. [2],220pp. Two parts, continuously paginated, bound in one. Modern quarter morocco and cloth. Some browning, lower fore- corner of title restored, affecting a few words, but a good copy. The sale catalogue of this famous library, assembled in over 4700 lots, sold in twelve daily sessions beginning on June 7. This copy is priced throughout in a contemporary hand, and in a few cases, there are some interesting notes about the lots, including the Valdrafer Boccaccio. Up to most of the third session, the buyers are also noted. "George Spencer...better known to book collectors as the Marquess of Blandford, spent enormous sums of money on his library at White Knights...In 1819 he was compelled by circumstances to part with his library...Although the sale was brilliantly attended and such great collectors as Spencer, Heber, and Grenville bought liberally, the result was disappointing" - De Ricci. The very properly bound Horblit copy, also priced, but without buyers, realized $1725. DE RICCI, pp.77-8.
(Item ID: WRCLIT25160) $1,500.00
The White Knights Library