Spencer (Charles, 3rdEarl of Sunderland) Bibliotheca Sunderlandiana: Sale Catalogue of the Sunderland or Blenheim Library, 10 parts in 2 vol., 1 of 150 large paper copies, lists of prices and purchasers at part ends, vol. 1 with c.100 plain ff. bound-in with ms pagination and bearing contemporary press clippings and similar (sale bidding forms, an A.L.s from Simpson, catalogue receipts from P & S, and Quaritch circular extracts, all laid down), very occasional spots or minor instances of foxing, nineteenth century green half morocco, gilt, spines and some corners dis-coloured, some scuffs to extremities, original printed wrappers bound-in (lower depicting print of Victorian auction house interior), some edges unopened, 8vo, [De Ricci, 38-40], Puttick and Simpson, 1881-83.

⁂ The magnificent library of the 3rd Earl of Sunderland (1674-1722) contained roughly 20,000 books, including many incunabula (several on vellum), Bibles, and early Continental literature. Put up for sale by the Duke of Marlborough in 1881 and offered at a total of £20,000 - Baron James de Rothschild, Lord Crawford and Bernard Quaritch were all interested, but negotiations came to naught - the subsequent five auctions, containing 13,858 lots, realised £56,581 6s. (c.£33,000 paid by Quaritch).

Provenance: Anthony Hobson (1921-2014), book auctioneer, book historian (particularly bindings) and bibliophile (armorial bookplates).

Captain Francis-Capper Brooke (1810-1886), Italo- and bibliophile, part of a circle of Anglo-Florentine book collectors and scholars, including Lord Vernon, Isabella Macleod and Seymour Kirkup. The Sunderland sale was notable for ‘the numerous and rare Editions of the Early Italian Writers, and Makers and Consolidators of the Italian Language' (Quaritch circular, laid-down in this copy). Brooke had his copies of the sale catalogues, prices and purchasers lists bound together, along with newspaper clippings reporting on the sales (his signature found on A.L.s from Simpson bound-in to this copy).