RARE WORK SOLD AT AUCTION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18393, 20 February 1928, Page 14

RARE WORK SOLD AT AUCTION.

DRAMATIC BIDDING FOR HISTORIC MANUSCRIPT. A 600-year-old manuscript of “ Tristan—A Romance of Tristan. Chevalier of the Round Table,” illustrated with exquisite miniatures, was sold at Sotheby’s, London, recently, 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 nod, 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 ten tintil “.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. Bidding opened boldly at £7OO, and mounted rapidly in fifties and hundreds until the manuscript was secured by a Mr Coutts for £3500.