Bibliotheca Ratcliffiana
A Catalogue of the Elegant and Truly Valuable Library of John Ratcliffe

The 1776 sale catalogue for the library of John Ratcliffe, annotated by an auction attendee with the prices paid and the names of purchasers.

James Christie (Author)

9781108065825, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 12 December 2013

94 pages
21.6 x 14 x 0.6 cm, 0.13 kg

The library of the chandler John Ratcliffe (1707–76) was amassed before the onset of 'bibliomania', and perfectly illustrates the last days of a period of book collecting when scholars and commoners could hope to compete with wealthy noblemen. The collection contained over a hundred incunabula, including forty-eight Caxtons, and a fine selection of sixteenth-century English books, alongside contemporary literature and Presbyterian tracts. Many of Ratcliffe's incunabula had been purchased from James West, others from Anthony Askew. In turn, his books were acquired by a circle of his contemporaries, including William Herbert, Charles Chauncy and William Hunter. However, the purchase of some of the finest books by the aristocratic Justin MacCarthy Reagh provided a hint of what was to come. Reissued here is James Christie's 1776 sale catalogue, featuring handwritten annotations by an attendee at the auction who recorded the prices paid and the names of buyers.

1. First day's sale
2. Second day's sale
3. Third day's sale
4. Fourth day's sale
5. Fifth day's sale
6. Sixth day's sale
7. Seventh day's sale
8. Eighth day's sale
9. Ninth day's sale.

Subject Areas: Literary studies: general [DSB]