The John Greaves connection encourages a £520,000 bid for Copernicus

THE 463 lots that made up the first portion of science books from the Earl of Macclesfield’s library at Shirburn Castle, sold by Sotheby’s on June 10, covered just the letters A-C, but the contents of this extraordinary library, virtually untouched since the 18th century, are such that even this starter helping raised a premium-inclusive total of £3.57m.

That total was achieved with considerable help from the books pictured right and below right, a 1543…

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