One of the more keenly pursued of those lots on March 19 at Thomson Roddick (17.5% buyer’s premium) was FB Larkworthy’s Photographs of Celebrated British Shorthorns, a work of 1879 in which the portraits of the cattle are accompanied by details of their pedigree. It doubled the high estimate to sell at what may be a record £600.
The most expensive lot in the property was an 1823 oil painting by David Dalby of York, depicting Mr Hutchinson’s Beef Shorthorn Bull, Sir Leoline, that featured on the catalogue cover.
Not part of that Shorthorn Society property, but of related interest was a five-volume set of John Mills’ New and Complete System of Practical Husbandry of 1762-65 that had added association value.
Each volume bore the bookplate of Robert Riddell of Friars Carse, near Dumfries, who was a companion and correspondent of Robert Burns. It sold for £350.
Wainwright drawing
Ink and pencil drawing by Alfred Wainwright of a Scottish peak, Binnein Mòr - £380 at Thomson Roddick.
Items in the larger, general part of the sale included an ink and pencil drawing by Alfred Wainwright of a Scottish peak, Binnein Mòr, at £380, and a 32pp, illustrated souvenir of the Royal Cup Final of 1914 in which Burnley defeated Liverpool 1-0. Sold at £320, the latter was a copy that came to auction from a descendant of one of the Burnley players.
Three of the lesser-known works of the author of Little Black Sambo, Helen Bannerman, also featured.
All firsts in pictorial green cloth bindings, they were not perfectly preserved, but The Story of Little Degchie- Head: An Awful Warning to Bad Babas (1903) made £120, while copies of The Story of Little Black Mingo (1901) and Pat and the Spider (1904) sold at £80 each. No copies of the last mentioned work appear in auction records that I have seen.
