Book sale is ‘first’ for first editions

FROM a 15th century book of hours to photographs of the Co Clare RIC, the Fonsie Mealy rare book and collectors’ sale, in Dublin next Tuesday, goes on view today.

The catalogue offers a rich array of ancient Irish land deeds, literary history, maps, memorabilia and sporting material, like the signed Munster team jersey from the 1978 All Blacks match at Thomond Park, pictured last week on these pages.

First editions include a signed copy of Down All the Days, by Christy Brown, the first Irish language edition of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, from 1933, and Virginia Woolf’s last book, The Years, from 1937.