Matthew Haley
Managing Director
Matthew Haley is Managing Director of Bonhams Knightsbridge and has been Head of Bonhams UK Books & Manuscripts Department since 2013. In 2004, he joined Bonhams in London as a specialist in the Books…
Books & Manuscripts
Bonhams Books & Manuscripts auctions offer the finest printed and manuscript material, ranging from early illuminated manuscripts and incunabula through natural history, medicine, literature, art, music, Americana, fine bindings and private press, and vernacular photography. We hold more than 20 auctions each year in London, Denmark, New York, New England, California and online.
We handle works by writers and historical figures such as Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde, Alan Turing and Charles Darwin, as well as objects like the gun that killed Billy the Kid and Einstein's violin. In addition, we have set world auction records for a Christopher Columbus letter and a polar exploration artefact, one of Captain Scott's last letters.
Our thematic auctions cover topics as diverse as the History of Science & Technology, Women Through History, Travel and Exploration, Surrealism and Napoleon. Bonhams also handles high-profile single-owner collections, which have included the Library of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, The Estate of Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes, Wassenaar Zoo, and The Medical & Scientific Library of W. Bruce Fye.
Buying and selling books and manuscripts at Bonhams
Bonhams Books & Manuscripts department has specialists covering the UK, Europe, the Americas, South Africa and Asia-Pacific.
With offices and representatives in 22 countries, Bonhams gives buyers and sellers access to a global network of collectors and unparalleled marketing resources to achieve the highest price and level of client satisfaction possible. Contact a specialist directly for more information or submit your item online for a free auction estimate.
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Thinking of selling? Get a free auction estimate by submitting your item online or contacting your local Bonhams. With specialists based in towns and cities worldwide, we are your local auction house.
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News and stories
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Rare Darwin Presentation Copy on the Origin of Species Leads Bonhams Fine Books & Manuscripts Sale
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The Napkin That Changed Lionel Messi's Life and the History of Football Offered at Bonhams in May
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Catherine Williamson
VP/Director
Dr. Catherine Williamson is the Director of the Fine Books and Manuscripts and Entertainment Memorabilia at Bonhams in Los Angeles. Dr. Williamson joined the book department in 1997 and was promoted t…
Ian Ehling
Director
Ian Ehling is Director of Fine Books and Manuscripts in New York. He has appraised thousands of the rarest and most exquisite books to come to market during his 40 years in the field, and has advised …
Darren Sutherland
Specialist
Darren Sutherland is a Senior Specialist in the Fine Books and Manuscripts department at Bonhams New York. He started in the rare book trade in 1996 and spent 20 years pursuing rare and valuable books…
Luke Batterham
Senior Valuer
Luke Batterham is a Specialist in Books, Maps, Manuscripts and Historical Photographs, based at Bonhams Knightsbridge. The son of an antiquarian bookseller, Luke joined Bonhams as a senior valuer with…
Simon Roberts
Senior Specialist, Head of Sale
Simon Roberts is Senior Specialist, Head of Sale in the Fine Books and Manuscripts Department, and a senior valuer with over 30 years' experience in the business. He joined Bonhams in 2002 following t…
Sarah Lindberg
Senior Specialist
Sarah Lindberg is a manuscript specialist in the Fine Book Department, which she joined in 2015. A history graduate from Exeter University, Sarah has a background in publishing, fine and decorative ar…
Tim Tezer
Junior Specialist
Tim Tezer is a Junior Specialist in Fine Books and Manuscripts at Bonhams New York. After eight years' experience in the Arms and Armor and Native American Art departments in San Francisco, Tim moved …
Lorenza Gay
Cataloguer
Lorenza Gay is a Cataloguer for Bonhams Books & Manuscripts department in London. As an art historian with a particular interest in iconography, iconology and the history of the book, Lorenza holds a …
Katie Allen
Sale Coordinator
Katie Allen is Sale Coordinator for Bonhams Books & Manuscripts in Los Angeles. She helps clients navigate the auction process from consignment to post-sale, including any questions about paperwork, p…
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Upcoming auctions
Fine Books, Maps and Manuscripts
7 – 20 June | Online, London, Knightsbridge
Coming soon
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