Rare Books, Militaria and Maps

5:00PM 3 Abbey Street, Newton, Auckland

Art+Object is please to present you the first Rare Books auction of 2023, which will be held exclusively online.

The sale will begin with a collection of militaria which includes medals, badges, books & ephemera from the estate of military historian & collector Colin George Laing.

Colin Laing was a collector from his Parnell Primary School days in the late 1930s when he began what would become a lifelong interest in New Zealand Military history, books, medals, and badges. A sense of history, service, tradition, and respect for New Zealand’s military prowess followed.

In 1942, during WWII, the Auckland Domain was covered by regular lines of army huts, and this was the perfect playground for Colin and his friends. He became a ‘runner’ for the men in the camp, for all sorts of supplies, and their payment to him was badges, buttons, and other small uniform keepsakes, many of which are included in the auction.

Laing made many overseas trips to battlefields and sites of significance. He was a life member of the Military Historical Society of NZ until his death in 2017. His passion for all things military endured over 70 years and during this time he amassed a large and important collection of medals, badges & military ephemera.

Part two of the auction includes some 350 lots of rare books, maps, historic art and photographs. Items of note include a superb Fern Album with carved kauri bindings by Eric Craig, a collection of historic maps including Bayley’s Chart of New Zealand 1772, and a number of early New Zealand photographs including three rare Sherwin & Cotton ceramic portrait tiles of Chief Tuari Netana, Guide Sophia and Guide Bella.

Also included is historic New Zealand art, Maori printings and histories, early editions of ‘Cooks Voyages’; a 16th century Geneva Bible; a superb copy of Omar Khayamm bound by the renowned English book binder Cedric Chivers, a first edition of John LeCarre’s ‘A Spy who Came in from the Cold’; a number of Private Press, Literature and Art books; and association copies from the library of John Edgar.

The timed online auction starts on Tuesday 27th June and will conclude on Tuesday 4th of July, with lots closing from 5:00pm. Lots will close every 20 seconds, with automatic extension if bidding is ongoing. You can bid easily and conveniently through our personalised app available on App Store or Google Play, or via our desktop platform at live.artandobject.co.nz. You can alternatively place an absentee bid by filling out the form here.

Please contact info@artandobject.co.nz or ring reception 09 354 4646 if you require assistance, we are happy to provide condition reports and answer additional queries.