Huge book collection for sale in West Sussex
Stride & Son Auctioneers and Valuers of Chichester in West Sussex will offer the entire collection and stock-in-trade of the late renowned bibliophile Robert Date (1947-2015) on July 30th and 31st.
Bob, as he was better known to his friends and colleagues in the book and antique trade, was perhaps the epitome of the collector/dealer, reflected in the enormously varied range of material set to be auctioned.
The Bob Date Collection is taken from the approximately 20 tonnes of material removed from his modest three bedroom semi-detached home. The collection will be dispersed without reserve under orders of the executors.
The extraordinary and wide ranging collection includes: aviation; motoring; canals and waterways; steam traction engines; art, architecture and graphic design; 19th/20th century illustrators; private press and livre d’artistes; ephemera, photographs; posters; stamps; cigarette cards and matchbox labels; advertising and commercial art; paintings and prints.
Peter Parker of Stride & Son, commented, “Despite the diversity on offer, during the extensive sorting and lotting process a great sense of cohesion began to emerge between many of the subject areas in terms of their design, production and context. Many items, still have Bob’s old pencil prices on them from across the last three decades, many others have no price – perhaps indicating that these were items that he could not bring himself to part with.”
Extending over two days and comprising 1,100 lots, the auctioneers have suggested that this could be one of the most diverse and interesting provincial book and art sales for some years.