4. Library - Auction Sale Catalogues

Range, scope and location

The Society has a collection of catalogues issued by the major houses in London, Europe, the USA and Canada. In the main these date from the late 1930s and are generally in complete runs, from the point when issues were first lodged with the Society. A few earlier issues are available for selected houses. There are also some bound volumes of historic auction lists dating back to the mid-1880s housed in the basement stack area.

Current issues for future sales are kept in free-standing magazine files in the large library for consultation, prior to filing. Issues for designated houses are filed in the basement stack area after the closing date of the sale, with realisation listings where these are subsequently received. Catalogues for other sales are not normally retained after the sale date, unless they are for a specific territory or a named individual collection offered by a house that is not otherwise retained.

Bound volumes presented to us by some of the main London houses are substituted for the original loose issues housed in the basement stack area.

Key to access

All issues may by consulted on the premises, on application to the House Manager or a member of the Library Committee for entrance to the limited-access stack area. Borrowing by members is not permitted.

A printed index is in the course of preparation.