Collection of historic agricultural books. Featuring in our Spring Fine Art Sale on the 26th and 27th April, the Robert Boutflour Collection comprises some of the earliest printed texts on the subject of agriculture.
10/03/2022
Robert ‘Bobby’ Boutflour was a notable figure in agricultural circles. From 1931 to 1958 he was Principle of the Royal Agricultural University at Cirencester and was responsible for a radical remodeling of the University, expanding the student numbers from 50 to 800 during his tenure.
He published significant works, particularly relating to dairy farming, and played an important role in the growth of international farming yields in the austere post-war period.
The present collection of books, which is by direct family descent from Robert Boutflour’s personal collection, comprises more than a dozen rare and important works, including a 1731 first edition copy of Jethro Tull’s ‘Horse-hoing husbandry’ estimated at £3000-5000 and Reynolde Scot’s ‘Perfite Platforme of a Hoppe Garden’ published in 1578, estimated at £3000-5000.
The collection is completed by the earliest of all written treatises on agriculture: Petrus de Crescentiis - ‘Ruralia Commoda’, published in Augsburg in 1471, it is the first edition of the first printed book on agriculture. Estimated at £60000-80000.
Featuring in our July Fine Art sale is a fascinating collection of 38 lots on paper, removed from a substantial 19th century album which has been in the possession of the same family since it was compiled.
17/06/2025
Lot 970 in our Fine Art sale on July the 1st and 2nd is this unassuming Edwardian watercolour interior scene, guided at £300-500.
16/06/2025
Coming up for sale in our forthcoming Royalty, Fine Art & Antiques sale is an exceptionally rare pair of Italian Vezzi porcelain chocolate beakers, circa 1720-1727.
09/06/2025