DRAMATIC BIDDING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20319, 30 January 1928, Page 9

DRAMATIC BIDDING.

HISTORIC MANUSCRIPT. * A 600-year-old manuscript of “ Tristran —A Romance of Tristran, Chevalier of the Round Table,” illustrated with exquisite miniatures, was sold at Sotheby’s, London, to Messrs Quaritch, Ltd., for £520. It consists of 523 leaves of vellum. “ Will anybody make an offer for Lot 176? ” said the auctioneer casually. '• Fifty pounds,” replied a muffled voice from the tables. Slowly the hammer descended to within a few inches of the fatal tap, which would have sold a masterpiece for a mere song. It seemed nobody wanted it. “ Sixty pounds,” murmured a voice. “ Seventy,” said another. “ Eighty,” said the auctioneer in reply to a non, and then “ninety ” in response to an almost imperceptible wink. Bidders became silent. Winks, nods, and trifling gestures sufficed. Only the auctioneer spoke. “ One hundred—ten—twenty,” and so on, rapidly by leaps of 10 until “ Five hundred and twenty pounds. Does anybody offer more?” Tap. The hammer struck the rostrum. There was a keen struggle for Lot 138— a thirteenth century psalter of Eastern France, done on vellum, with beautifully painted embellishments and seven magnificent full-page pictures, each representing two scenes in the life of Christ. B|dding opened boldly at £7OO, and mounted rapidly in fifties and hundreds, I until the manuscript was secured by a Mr Coutts for £3500. I