'Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England). An Inve...

Estimate

£30 - £50

'Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England). An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in London. Vol IV. The City.', 1929. 4to. Photo plates &c. Fine three quarter red morocco by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, spine with raised bands, gilt ruled in compartments. With the leather and gilt Beeleigh Abbey bookplate of William Alfred Foyle, (1885–1963) British bookseller and businessman who co-founded Foyles bookshop in 1903 with his brother Gilbert Foyle. During the Second World War, Foyle bought Beeleigh Abbey, a 12th-century monastery on the River Chelmer at Maldon, Essex. Although Foyle had collected books from an early age, it was at Beeleigh Abbey that he was able to house the books properly, forming one of the largest English private libraries of the 20th century. In July 2000 the library was sold at auction by Christie's auction house. The three day sale realised some £12,000,000. It was the single most valuable collection of books ever to be sold at auction in Britain or Europe.