The Library of Humphrey Winterton. East Africa, the Sudan, Egypt, Arabia and the Indian Ocean.

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Une partie de la collection du célèbre bibliophile Humphrey Winterton a été mise aux enchères par Sotheby’s en 2003. Au même titre que les catalogues de Maggs Bros. Ltd. et de Allsworth Rare Books, respectivement From the Abyssinian Expedition to the Mau Mau Insurrection et Abyssinia to Zanzibar 1850s-1950s, celui de la maison aux enchères, The Library of Humphrey Winterton,  est devenu une référence utile aux Etudes éthiopiennes.

Biblethiophile, 04.05.2025

A NOTE ON THE CATALOGUE

The subject matter of this collection is wide-ranging. From its genesis in Kenya it has spread in all directions to encompass Portuguese sea-borne discoveries, British and German exploration, Arab trade and rule, the search for the source of the Nile, big game hunting, and many other subjects touched on in Dr Freeman-Grenville’s introduction. The index is mainly confined to authors, though exceptions have been made for big game hunting, linguistics, penodicals, manuscripts, drawings, memorabilia and maps.

All of the books in this collection bear Humphrey Winterton’s book label (see page 101 in the case of periodicals and pamphlets this is selective. The condition of his books has always been a priority and the collection contains many exceptional copies. Where necessary books have been finely rebound or protected in half morocco fitted boxes (example on p.29).

Every book in the collection has been listed. Where other books are noted at the end of catalogue descriptions you are referred to an appendix. This is at the end of the catalogue (page 192) and gives a full listing of the other titles in each lot

Most of the bibliographies quoted in this catalogue are standard works. […]

There are certain elements of Humphrey Winterton’s library not present here. Maggs Brothers have produced a separate catalogue of military books; Jenny Allsworth, of Allsworth Rare Books, has produced a catalogue of the photographs which have been sold privately to an institution, and she will catalogue a collection of pamphlets in the course of this year.

This is the most important and finest library of its kind to come to auction within living memory.

Sotheby’s April 2003