LITCHFIELD, CONN. — The top lot of 270 offered in Litchfield Auctions’ April 13 Books & Ephemera auction was a first English edition of Thucydides — The History of the Peloponnesian War, translated by Thomas Nicholls and published in 1550 by William Tylle of London. Despite a later binding and worn embossed calf-bound cover with hardcover slipcase, the book sold for $8,125 against a $6/10,000 estimate. An ink inscription — “Stephen Gaselee 24 Ashburn Place London, S.W. 7. Acquired from Col. F. Isaac, Sch.1935” outlined some of its provenance, which also included a private collection in New Jersey.

Bidding opened the day of the auction with back and forth competition between two online bidders and a phone bidder. Bidding continued over the course of two minutes, with one online bidding dropping out at around $3,000, leaving competition solely between the online trade underbidder and the trade buyer who was bidding by phone.

Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium; watch for a longer sale review in a future issue.