Robert S Pirie collection and auction

Noted bibliophile Robert S. Pirie (1934–2015) focused his collecting on English literature before 1700. His book and manuscript collection was auctioned at Sotheby's New York 2 December –4 December 2015, in the Property from The Collection of Robert S Pirie Volumes I & II: Books and Manuscripts sale. The Folger Shakespeare Library successfully bid on thirty lots in the sale.

List of lots acquired at auction

9. Adams, Frank. Writing Tables with a Kalender for XXIIII yeeres, with Sundry Necessarye Rules. London: Printed by James Roberts, for Edward White, and Are to be Sold at the Little North Dore of Paules, at the Signe of the Gunne, 1598 / possible woman's hand View on Sotheby's website

55. Bacon, Francis. Cont. ms. of the poem "The World's a Bubble", a four-stanza version apparently transcribed by Thomas Everard, 1 leaf, ca. 1625. View on Sotheby's website

81. Embroidered binding. Andrews, Lancelot. A Manual of the Private Devotions... London, 1648. Late 17th century English embroidered binding. Wing 3135. View on Sotheby's website

125. Burghley, (William Cecil) ALS to the Earl of Essex, concerning Sir Walter Raleigh, 21 May, 1597. View on Sotheby's website

191. Corkine, William. Ayres to Sing & Play. Part I. London, 1610; part II, London, 1612. Modern wrappers. Only copy known of first issue, part I. STC 5768. View on Sotheby's website

201. King, William. Poems of Mr. Cowley and others. Composed into Songs and Ayres. Oxford, 1668. Folio, red morocco, Wing K543 View on Sotheby's website

242. Devereaux, Robert. A.L.S. signed Essex to Maurice of Nassau re: Antonio Perez (Shakespeare's Antonio) View on Sotheby's website

252. Digby, Sir Kenelm. A Ms. Poem. ca 1620. View on Sotheby's website

337. Dugdale, William. Autograph letter signed, to Guibon Goddard. (in Warwickshire) neere Coleshill, 17 June, 1657. View on Sotheby's website

349. Embroidered binding. Unused, ca. 1610 View on Sotheby's website

351. Now or never, a new parliament of women. London, 1656. 8pp. Small 4to. Vellum. Huth copy. Wing N 1434; Mercurius Melancholicus. Ding-Dong, Or Sr. Pitifull Parliament, On his Death-Bed. [London]: 1648. Vellum. Wing D1495 View on Sotheby's website

353. [Etherege, Sir George]. Killigrew, Peter - a.l.s. to his sister re: opening night of "The Man of Mode". 2pp. 14 March 1675. View on Sotheby's website

368. Feilde, Henry. Ephemeris Chirographorum. [England ca. 1642]. Caligraphically ornamented ms. of numerous important texts, letters and verse by the same scribe as the Merton ms. of Donne's Sermons at the Bodleian. View on Sotheby's website

421. Harington, Sir John. Autograph ms. translation of Book VI of Virgil's Aneid. Cont. vellum gilt with arms of James I. View on Sotheby's website

430. Herbert of Cherbury. A.L.S. to Charles I. 8 May 1626, 2 pp. folio. Ex. coll.: Gilvary. See Klinkenborg & Cahoon, British Literary Manuscript I, 30 (illustrated). View on Sotheby's website

450. Heywood, Thomas. Ms. verse translation of Ovid's De Arte Amandi. Circa 1620. Oblong octavo, contemporary calf. View on Sotheby's website

474. Howard, Sir Robert. A.L.S. to Thomas Clifford about his poem "The Duel of the Stags". 26 July, 1668. View on Sotheby's website

583. Milton, John. Of Education. London, 1644. Modern morocco. Wing M2132. View on Sotheby's website

687. Ray, John. Dictionariolum Trilingue. London, 1675. Contemporary red morocco. Charles II's copy. Rebacked. Wing R391. View on Sotheby's website

702. Rowlands, Samuel. The Knave of Harts. T.S. for J. Bache, London, 1612. First edition(?). 4to. Full blue morocco. This printing unrecorded in STC. See STC 21390 and 21391 for two other printings. (This copy now 21390.5.). View on Sotheby's website

748. Sidney, Sir Philip. Astrophel & Stella. London, 1591. Modern full morocco. 2 leaves in facsimile. STC 22537. View on Sotheby's website

755. Southampton, Earl of. A.l.s to Lord Spencer (ca 1624). View on Sotheby's website

763. Spenser, Edmund. Prothalamion. London, 1596. Modern blue morocco by Riviere. Frank Hogan copy. STC 3224. View on Sotheby's website

773. Stradling, Sir John. Beati Pacifici, A Divine Poem. Pres. Ms. to James I, signed by the author, 1622. Ex coll. Lord Kenyon. View on Sotheby's website

774. Stuart, Lodowick, Duke of Richmond and Lennox. Autograph letter signed, to Lord Herbert of Cherbury about the Spanish marriage, 3 October, 1623. View on Sotheby's website

827. Walsingham, Sir Francis. Ms. letters and dispatches, 11 Aug. 1570 to April 1573, cont. vellum (c. 1600). Published in 1655 as The Compleat Ambassador. View on Sotheby's website

844. Wentworth, Peter. [A pithie exhortation to her majestie for establishing her successor to the crowne] View on Sotheby's website

943. [Commelin, Jerome]. Rerum Britannicarum. Heidelberg: [Apud Hieronymum Commelinum] 1587. With Stationers' Company wardens and clerk signatures. View on Sotheby's website

967. Rubens, Peter Paul. Rubens, Philip, Electorum, libri II. Antwerp, 1608, Contemporary calf. With coat of arms of Henry Prince of Wales. British Museum duplicate. View on Sotheby's website

977. Van Dyck, Sir Anthony. Icones Principium Virorum. Antwerp, c. 1660-1690, cont. black morocco gilt by the Barlow's Aesop binder. Narcissus Lutrell's copy. View on Sotheby's website