A SINGLE owner collection of books attracted worldwide attention when they went under the hammer at Tamlyns Auctioneers’ auction held on May 16.

Collected over many years by a local collector, the collection included a set of sixteen books published by John Marshall titled The Infant’s Library. The books were undated but would have been published around 1800. The books were housed in their original treen box and were also accompanied by a spare treen box. They sold under the hammer for £1,800 to a room bidder.

Further included in the auction was a book published in 1784 titled The Tragical History of Children in the Wood, which again attracted considerable interest and sold for £860.

Somerset County Gazette: SOLD: The Tragical History of Children in the Wood, sold for £860

• SOLD: The Tragical History of Children in the Wood, sold for £860

The collection also included The History of Little Fanny, a book published in 1810, with each page featuring a series of loose cut-out clothes which Fanny tries on throughout the book, which were all housed in its original slipcase. After another battle between both telephone and room bidders, the book sold for £500 when the hammer fell.

Another undated book - believed to have been published in around 1785 - titled ‘The Masquerade: containing a Variety of Merry Characters of all Sorts’ was also highly sought-after by the collectors and sold for £460.

Somerset County Gazette: UNUSUAL: Within the collection was this silver miniature book

• UNUSUAL: Within the collection was this silver miniature book

As well as books the collection also included a collection of cards, with an early 19th Century set of story cards, sadly lacking its original box, selling for £480, and a complete set of Panko, or Votes for Women, housed in its original box for £110.

Entries are now invited for Tamlyns’ next auction on Wednesday, June 20, which will include a beautiful single owner collection of jewellery. The sale will include specialist sections of jewellery, silver, watches, coins, clocks, books, furniture, paintings, furniture and collectable items. The saleroom holds a valuation morning every weekday morning from 9.30am until 12.30pm, and for larger collections a house visit can be arranged with Tamlyns Auctioneer and Valuer Ed Bailey.

Entries for the June auction will close on Friday, June 8.

For further information about consigning or Tamlyns auctions, please call Ed Bailey on 01278 445251 or email saleroom@tamlyns.co.uk.