The reputation of Nobel prize winner Seamus Heaney is now so high that even the poet must sometimes be surprised at the prices his books can command. A signed copy of his most recent collection, Electric Light, published earlier this year, is now being offered in the second catalogue from Healy Rare Books of Galway for £95.
Lest this seem expensive, other books by the same author include £250 for a first edition copy of the 1969 Door into the Dark and £525 for a signed copy of the 1999 limited edition of Beowulf in Heaney's version.
Most of the works in the Healy catalogue are, of course, much older than these, such as the 12 volume set of Francis Grose's Antiquities, covering not just Ireland but also Scotland, England and Wales; the lot is priced at £4,750. A collection of William Petty's economic writings, chiefly relating to this country and published together in Dublin in 1769, costs £1,100 as does a copy of the memoirs of Ulick de Burgh, Marquis of Clanrickarde.
Also worthy of note here are a collection of state letters by Roger Boyle, first Earl of Orrery (£975), a letter written by Charles James Fox from Downing Street, London in February 1806 on the subject of Catholic emancipation (£775) and a copy of Brendan Behan's The Hostage signed by the author (£295).
The new catalogue and further information is available from Healy Rare Books, telephone 091 529980.
