Compiled by Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey of Thirkleby Park in North Yorkshire, an illustrated manuscript on archery dating from the opening years of the last century has sold for £2600. It was part of a sale held in Leyburn by Tennants (20% buyer’s premium).

Extracted from Antiques Trade Gazette | Ian McKay

In the leaf shown above its author gives a detailed, illustrated account of an item of the archer’s equipment known as the ‘Turkish Thumb Ring’.

Where printed works are concerned, however, Payne-Gallwey is best known for his 1866 work on …Duck Decoys.

Finch’s furnishings

Sold at £800 was a 1767 inventory of the household furniture belonging to Lady Charlotte Finch of ‘Charlwood’, a house in Rickmersworth (sic) in Hertfordshire.

Running to a dozen pages and dealing with some 38 rooms, along with the courtyard garden and backyard, it was drawn up by Sam Spencer, an auctioneer, and W Gates, a cabinetmaker.

Their account, including travel expenses, meals, brandy and even 2d for the “poor woman at the gate”, is also attached. Lady Finch was a governess to the children of George III and Queen Charlotte from 1762-93.

Other highlights of the Leyburn sale on March 18 included one of 700 vellum copies of Sidonie Gabrielle Colette’s Regarde…, a 1929 folio illustrated with 20 pochoir coloured plates. It sold at £1000 via thesaleroom.com.

Among lots of particular local interest was Thomas H English’s Memoir of the Yorkshire Esk Fishery Association of 1925. Illustrated with 17 plates, a map and containing a tipped-in letter from its author, it sold at £380.