THE National Library of Ireland was among the successful bidders at Mealy’s sale of rare books, periodicals, maps and manuscripts at the D4Berkeley Hotel in Dublin on Tuesday.
On behalf of the State, its purchases included the original Visitor’s Book from the offices of the publisher Cuala Press which sold for €17,000. The library’s keeper of manuscripts, Colette O’Flaherty, said she hoped it would go on display next year.
George F Mealy, a spokesman for the family-run auctioneering said “it was great to see it staying in Ireland, as the under-bidder was from overseas”.
A map of Ireland made in 1610, depicting the country surrounded by waters teeming with sea-monsters, sold for €4,000.
But the sale’s most unusual lot, described as “a rare early 20th century County Down Medical Case Book” sold for €3,800. The ledger for the Down District Lunatic Asylum contains information and photographs of patients during the years 1907-1908 and was estimated to sell for just €400-€600.
Mealy’s said the sale realised over €500,000. A copy of James Joyce’s poem The Holy Office and a lot consisting of letters written by Brian O’Nolan (Flann O’Brien/ Myles na gCopaleen) both sold for €22,000. In one of the biggest surprises, a collection of papers relating to Brendan Behan sold for €4,200, way over the €1,000-€1,500 estimate, while correspondence from playwright Seán O’Casey made €10,000.
