Poetry collection signed by Seamus Heaney among rare books for auction

Before the internet, society relied mainly on books as the source of knowledge and many a grand house had its own library, a dedicated room where extensive collections were displayed. Today, modern homes often use built-in bookshelves in studies and living areas to show off the owner’s literary taste and add interest to a space.

Prized among many bibliophile’s collections are antique first editions and rare books, and they love nothing more than browsing through eclectic ranges of second-hand books – whether in online auction catalogues or in antiquarian bookshops – for a special find.

English novelist Howard Jacobson told the BBC some years ago about his lifelong passion for collecting second-hand books. “Books breathe as trees breathe,” he said. “When all the books have gone, our mental climate will have changed ... Technology can’t replace a book ... The turned-down pages. The bus ticket or taxi receipt or even billet doux employed as a bookmark – not just the marginalia of an intellectual life but the detritus of the heart.”

Jacobson’s enthusiasm for owning books is mirrored in the reluctance of many book collectors to part with their first editions – particularly signed first editions. This means that many books only come up for sale when a collector is elderly or deceased. Such sale events then become occasions for a new generation of book collectors.

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Private book collecting began in Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries after the invention of the printing press made books more accessible to an increasingly literate public. The first book auctions took place in the mid-17th century, at which point book catalogues began to emerge. The 19th century was the golden age of book collecting, with the rise of specialised book dealers, book societies and established auction houses such as Sotheby’s in London and Hotel Drouot in Paris.

A 1973 cloth-bound copy of the Globe Playhouse Trust-commissioned book of poetry by 14 contemporary poets, including Seamus Heaney, entitled Poems for Shakespeare (€200-€300)

Nowadays, many people choose to collect the works of authors they love while others opt for historical documents, illustrated or beautifully bound books or first editions on specific topics. Children’s books too are highly collectable at auctions as well as via many of the online book sales platforms. And, of course, a first edition book with a pristine dust jacket and the author’s signature is a perfect gift for a special occasion.

Fonsie Mealy auctioneers in Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny, will have plenty of interesting contemporary and historical books in their upcoming Rare Books and Collector’s Sale in the Avalon House Hotel, The Square, Castlecomer, on Wednesday, April 30th and Thursday, May 1st.

There’s everything from local history and geography books such as the 1979 first edition of John Feehan’s The Landscape of Slieve Bloom (1979) for €80-€120 and Feehan’s Laois, an environmental history (1983) to a collection of books on Porsche cars (€40-€70).

The auction also has a super range of collections of contemporary fiction (including collected works of Canadian author Alice Munro and American novelist Annie Proulx) and poetry books by Irish poets, such as collected works of Paul Durcan (€90-€130).

Also of note is a collection of plays by Irish playwright Marina Carr (€100-€150) and signed biographies of TV personalities Graham Norton and Michael Parkinson (€70-€100), among others. A 1973 cloth-bound limited edition of the Globe Playhouse Trust-commissioned book of poetry by 14 contemporary poets including Seamus Heaney, entitled Poems for Shakespeare, (€200-€300) signed by Heaney and his fellow contributors, is another gem.

An illustrated edition of Beatrix Potter’s children’s stories The Tales of Squirrel Nutkin and The Tale of Samuel Whiskers (€100-€150), for sale at Fonsie Mealy's auction

Anyone searching for a special gift for a newborn baby could consider bidding for several of the collections of children’s classics. These include a special illustrated edition of Beatrix Potter’s two children’s stories The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin and The Tale of Samuel Whiskers (€100-€150).

Meanwhile, enthusiasts of historic Irish houses and gardens may be interested in the three illustrated books to be sold together: Lost Demesnes: Irish Landscape Gardening 1660-1845 by Edward Malins and the Knight of Glin (1976); Mrs Delany, Her Life and her Flowers by Ruth Hayden (1980) about the 18th-century artist and craftswoman; and The Arts and Crafts Movement in Ireland by Paul Larmour (1992) with an estimate of €80-€130 for all three books.

Mrs Delany, her life and her flowers by Ruth Hayden, at Fonsie Mealy's Rare Books and Collector's Sale

Sports enthusiasts will also be drawn to the wide range of GAA memorabilia and medals. Book collectors keen for a tactile connection with the books for sale can view the lots in the auction rooms on Chatsworth Street in Castlecomer on Friday, April 25th, and Monday and Tuesday, April 28th and 29th, from 9.30am-5pm.

Historian Richard Henchion’s library

Staying with the theme of books, Lynes & Lynes auctioneers in Cork are auctioning the private library of Richard Henchion, a well-known local historian and genealogist, on Saturday, April 26th.

Many of the items for sale will be of interest to Cork-based historians keen to delve into original sources for their research. Take, for example, the complete set of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society Journals from 1892-2024 (€600-€1,000) and 42 copies of the Hibernian Chronicle newspaper (1789-1790).

Denis Lynes says that before they went online in libraries, the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society Journals were highly sought after by collectors.

“People would have travelled the country to get the last few issues to make up a full set. But, the market for journals has changed now,” he says. That said, Lynes believes many of the local Cork history books will draw great interest during viewing from today until Friday, April 25th, from 10am-5pm each day.

fonsiemealy.ie, lynesandlynes.com