Friday, March 20, 2015

REYNARD THE FOX, available at auction--of interest to fans of Amazon's BOSCH

Swann Auction Galleries April 9, 2015 auction, Early Printed, Medical, Science & Travel Books includes a 1681 Edition of a verse adaptation of Reynard the Fox.  Perhaps the eventual buyer will be associated with the Amazon Series, Bosch, since Season 1 focused on a serial killer named Reynard, and the medieval epic was key to plot line.  I am not familiar with Michael Connelly the author of the Bosch crime novel series but I expect they too would be a prime interest group for this auction.

This appears to be a nice edition and certainly for the right buyer, the price is reasonable.  A low ball starting bid of $250 might even be a winning bid.

From the Swann on-line catalog:
(REYNARD THE FOX.) Shurley, John The Most Delightful History of Reynard the Fox: in Heroic Verse. 8 woodcut text illustrations. [8], 114 pages, including etched additional title. 4to, 216x175 mm, later 19th-century vellum boards by Birdsall, spine ends damaged; additional title darkened, torn across upper margin and restored, light dampstaining and soiling on letterpress title and next leaf, upper portion of letterpress title torn and restored with text replaced in meticulous pen-and-ink facsimile, repaired hole farther down affecting a few words, last page heavily soiled; uncut and largely unopened. London: Thomas Passinger and Charles Passinger, 1681

Estimate $500 - 750

first edition of this English verse adaptation of the medieval animal epic. Menke, Bibliotheca Reinardiana, pages 230-31; Wing S3514.