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15:33 GMT, Saturday, 26 July 2008 16:33 UK

Gladstone books go under hammer

William Gladstone

A collection of books belonging to 19th Century prime minister William Gladstone has been auctioned in Angus.

About 2,000 books from the library at Fasque House - the former Gladstone family home in Aberdeenshire - went under the hammer in Montrose.

More than 400 lots raised a total in excess of £65,000.

Gladstone was a four-time Liberal prime minister - taking up the post in 1868, 1880, 1886 and 1892. In total, he spent more than 12 years in the role.

Auctioneer Jonathan Taylor said it had been a "busy day".

"The auction went very well. I am very pleased and looking forward to the next one," he added.

Mr Taylor said that the most expensive lots had been a collection of family diaries which had been found in the attic of the house.

They were sold to an Edinburgh professor for £3,400.

Gladstone family bible

Before the auction Mr Taylor said: "The library itself is quite widespread. There are a lot of books on travel, military history, politics obviously, religion, there are books on everything... you name it.

"There are a lot of very unusual books, there are books on travel to the likes of Hindustan and there are unusual books on Scotland.

"We've got some of their bibles, the actual family bible of the Gladstone family with the family tree - it's got births and deaths of the family, we've got some personal diaries of the Gladstones and there are some books with inscriptions from one family member to another."

Gladstone was so fond of books that he created an even larger library at Hawarden in Wales.

A second auction from Gladstone's Fasque collection - containing about another 2,000 books - is expected to take place in October.



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Related to this story:
Lottery funds save historic house (17 Jun 08 |  London )
Family archive saved by council (06 Dec 06 |  Northamptonshire )
Mallett's Gladstone library plea (04 Apr 06 |  North East Wales )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Taylor's Auction Rooms
William Gladstone
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