Maggs Bros Ltd
Encyclopedia
Maggs Bros Ltd is one of the longest-established antiquarian booksellers in the world, established in 1853 by Uriah Maggs
, born c.1828 in Midsomer Norton
, Somerset. All four of Uriah’s sons eventually joined the business, taking over on his retirement in 1894.
The initial Maggs Brothers of the firm’s title were Benjamin and Henry, later joined by Charles and Ernest. In 1908, B.D.Maggs served a full (then yearly) term as President of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association
(ABA). Maggs Bros. is still under family ownership, and is currently managed by Edward Maggs.
Maggs Brothers pulled off the greatest bookselling coup of the inter-war period, when in 1932 they successfully negotiated with the government of Soviet Russia to acquire not only a Gutenberg Bible
, but also the celebrated Codex Sinaiticus
.
In 1931 Ernest Maggs had travelled to the Soviet Union with a colleague, Maurice Ettinghausen, who was both a bookseller and a scholar. When they saw the priceless Codex Sinaiticus, Ettinghausen remarked to his hosts, “If you ever want to sell it, let me know." Some time later, Maggs received a postcard saying that the Soviet government would be prepared to sell the Codex Sinaiticus for 200,000 pounds. The British group countered with 40,000 pounds. Finally, a price of 100,000 pounds was agreed upon. This was the largest price that had ever been paid for a book. It was an enormous sum at the time. The British government agreed to pay half the amount and guaranteed the remainder if it were not raised by public subscription.
Maggs have regularly set book price records; in 1947 they bought a second Gutenberg Bible - the Dyson Perrins copy - for £22,000, on behalf of Sir Philip Frere, and a few years later resold it to Mrs. Doheny of California, this latter copy now the only one in Japan. In 1998 the firm set the current record for the most expensive printed book, when it bought for £4,200,000 a copy of the first book printed in England, William Caxton
’s The Canterbury Tales
.
, H.R.H. The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), H.M. King Alfonso XIII of Spain, H.M. King Manuel II of Portugal
, and are currently favoured with the Royal Warrant to H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.
Its premises are at 50 Berkeley Square
, widely known as the "most haunted house in London"; George Canning
, Great Britain's shortest-serving Prime Minister, died there in 1827.
Uriah Maggs
Uriah Maggs founder in 1853 of Maggs Bros Ltd, the longest-established antiquarian booksellers in the world.He was born in Midsomer Norton in Somerset. In about 1850, he and his father left to start a new life in London. After several failed business ventures he took up bookselling, founding...
, born c.1828 in Midsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton is a town near the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England, south-west of Bath, north-east of Wells, north-west of Frome, and south-east of Bristol. It has a population of 10,458. Along with Radstock and Westfield it used to be part of the conurbation and large civil parish of Norton...
, Somerset. All four of Uriah’s sons eventually joined the business, taking over on his retirement in 1894.
The initial Maggs Brothers of the firm’s title were Benjamin and Henry, later joined by Charles and Ernest. In 1908, B.D.Maggs served a full (then yearly) term as President of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association
Antiquarian Booksellers Association
The Antiquarian Booksellers Association is the senior trade body in the British Isles for dealers in antiquarian and rare books, manuscripts and allied materials.-History:It was founded in 1906 and is the oldest organization of its kind in the world...
(ABA). Maggs Bros. is still under family ownership, and is currently managed by Edward Maggs.
Notorious Sales
In 1916 Maggs Bros bought the penis of Napoleon Bonaparte from the descendants of Abbé Ange Paul Vignali, who had given the last rites and surreptitiously cut off the member in question. Vignali apparently brought the penis to Corsica, and died in a vendetta in 1828. He passed on the memento to his sister, who at her death passed it on to her son. In 1924, the desiccated item was sold to a Dr. A. S. Rosenbach, who mounted it in a case of blue morocco and velvet. In 1927, it was exhibited at the Museum of French Art.Maggs Brothers pulled off the greatest bookselling coup of the inter-war period, when in 1932 they successfully negotiated with the government of Soviet Russia to acquire not only a Gutenberg Bible
Gutenberg Bible
The Gutenberg Bible was the first major book printed with a movable type printing press, and marked the start of the "Gutenberg Revolution" and the age of the printed book. Widely praised for its high aesthetic and artistic qualities, the book has an iconic status...
, but also the celebrated Codex Sinaiticus
Codex Sinaiticus
Codex Sinaiticus is one of the four great uncial codices, an ancient, handwritten copy of the Greek Bible. It is an Alexandrian text-type manuscript written in the 4th century in uncial letters on parchment. Current scholarship considers the Codex Sinaiticus to be one of the best Greek texts of...
.
In 1931 Ernest Maggs had travelled to the Soviet Union with a colleague, Maurice Ettinghausen, who was both a bookseller and a scholar. When they saw the priceless Codex Sinaiticus, Ettinghausen remarked to his hosts, “If you ever want to sell it, let me know." Some time later, Maggs received a postcard saying that the Soviet government would be prepared to sell the Codex Sinaiticus for 200,000 pounds. The British group countered with 40,000 pounds. Finally, a price of 100,000 pounds was agreed upon. This was the largest price that had ever been paid for a book. It was an enormous sum at the time. The British government agreed to pay half the amount and guaranteed the remainder if it were not raised by public subscription.
Maggs have regularly set book price records; in 1947 they bought a second Gutenberg Bible - the Dyson Perrins copy - for £22,000, on behalf of Sir Philip Frere, and a few years later resold it to Mrs. Doheny of California, this latter copy now the only one in Japan. In 1998 the firm set the current record for the most expensive printed book, when it bought for £4,200,000 a copy of the first book printed in England, William Caxton
William Caxton
William Caxton was an English merchant, diplomat, writer and printer. As far as is known, he was the first English person to work as a printer and the first to introduce a printing press into England...
’s The Canterbury Tales
The Canterbury Tales
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer at the end of the 14th century. The tales are told as part of a story-telling contest by a group of pilgrims as they travel together on a journey from Southwark to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at...
.
Warrants
Maggs Bros. Ltd. have been antiquarian booksellers by appointment to H.M. King George VGeorge V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, H.R.H. The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII), H.M. King Alfonso XIII of Spain, H.M. King Manuel II of Portugal
Manuel II of Portugal
Manuel II , named Manuel Maria Filipe Carlos Amélio Luís Miguel Rafael Gabriel Gonzaga Francisco de Assis Eugénio de Bragança Orleães Sabóia e Saxe-Coburgo-Gotha — , was the last King of Portugal from 1908 to 1910, ascending the throne after the assassination of his father and elder brother Manuel...
, and are currently favoured with the Royal Warrant to H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.
Its premises are at 50 Berkeley Square
50 Berkeley Square
50 Berkeley Square is a reportedly haunted townhouse on Berkeley Square in Mayfair, in Central London. In the 1900s it became known as "The Most Haunted House in London"; mostly due to Peter Underwood's description of the house in Haunted London....
, widely known as the "most haunted house in London"; George Canning
George Canning
George Canning PC, FRS was a British statesman and politician who served as Foreign Secretary and briefly Prime Minister.-Early life: 1770–1793:...
, Great Britain's shortest-serving Prime Minister, died there in 1827.