July / August 2002 Vol. 34, no. 4

Friends of the National Library Annual Antiquarian Auction

Each fall, usually during the month of October, the Friends of the National Library hold an auction of donated books to raise funds for the acquisition of publications for the National Library of Canada. Last year’s auction was, once again, a big success. One hundred and fifty lots were offered, representing the spectrum of subjects  -  ranging from books for children, through travel and exploration, history, science, the arts, music and literature to religion and philosophy.

The top selling lot, which sold for $325, was a map of English possessions in North America published in Paris in 1825. A fine first edition of William Faulkner’s Go Down Moses and Other Stories sold for $300. Both of these items were private donations. Many others of the top selling books were similarly donated  -  in fact, typically about 50 of the 150 lots in each sale so far have been donated by individuals.

The Friends depend on donations for the survival of the antiquarian book auction, the proceeds of which enable them to purchase rare books and music for the National Library’s collections. If you have any rare books, maps, posters etc. that you might wish to donate, the Friends would be glad to hear from you. Rare doesn’t necessarily mean very old. The Faulkner book, mentioned above, for example, was published in 1942.

The types of books that are particularly sought after include the following:

• Victorian travel books
• Early books on sports, particularly hunting and fishing
• Books on exploration - particularly in the North and in Africa
• Victorian illustrated books for children
• Early books on medicine, science and natural history
• First editions of the first few books published by modern authors in the mystery and crime genre such as Ian Fleming and John Le Carré
• Early maps and other literary ephemera

If you have any books or other items of literary interest that you think might be suitable for inclusion in the auction, please get in touch with Georgia Ellis at (613) 943-1544 or Cathie Rochon in the Friends’ office at (613) 992-8304. The items donated don’t necessarily have to be worth 100s of dollars, but they should be in good condition and cover subjects of enduring merit and interest. Tax receipts will be issued for the amount realized at auction.

This year’s auction will be held on the evening of Friday, October 25. The Friends will be working all summer cataloguing books from several substantial donations that have already been received. The event promises to be a great evening of literary fare.

For more information about the auction or about the Friends of the National Library of Canada, please contact, Cathie Rochon at (613) 992-8304.