About us

Sotheran’s is the longest-established rare book dealer in the world. 

Founded in 1761 by Henry Sotheran in York, established in London in 1815. For over 250 years Sotheran’s has been one of the leading rare book dealers in the world.

For over two hundred and fifty years we have been meticulously handling and preserving rare books, ephemera and manuscripts for private collectors and readers alike with the belief that preservation and reading of the past brings context and joy to the present.  Our departments are defined by, Early Books and Manuscripts, Literature and Poetry, Sciences and Ideas, People and Places, and Art and Avant-garde, and our dedicated team of experienced and warm booksellers are always on hand to guide readers between the original Victorian shelves. 

We operate from three central London locations. Our bookshop for casual browsing can be found at 4 Cecil Court. While, across the street, and by appointment, our premises at 22 Charing Cross Road is home to our more precious and fine items. Here, our passionate bookmen and women catalogue, preserve and handle printed matter, hosting readings, lectures and events. Cassius and Co. at Kinnerton Street is Sotheran’s art gallery partner specialising in art books and ephemera that relate to their exhibitions.

 

 

We look forward to your visit.

 


History

Founded in York in 1761, established in London in 1815, Henry Sotheran Limited has a long and distinguished history.

Mr Thomas Sotheran, founder of the London business.For over 250 years we have been offering unsurpassed opportunities to collectors and enthusiasts, from the purchase of the libraries of Laurence Sterne in 1768, and Charles Dickens in 1870; the complete stock and copyright of the ornithologist and publisher John Gould; to the successful bid in 1980 for the final draft manuscript of Gilbert White's Natural History of Selbourne, bought on behalf of the Gilbert White Museum.

The great American collector of Shakespeare, H.C. Folger, acquired much of his collection, including the Halliwell-Phillipps library, through Sotheran's, and we were agents in the purchase of the world-famous Althorp Library from Earl Spencer for the John Rylands Library in 1892.

 Other significant sales included the sale of a Gutenberg Bible on vellum to J.P. Morgan in 1896, and the acquisition of the Warwick Castle Shakespeare Library, which was later sold to Henry Clay Folger for his renowned Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C.

One of the most legendary episodes in Sotheran’s history occurred in 1909, when we commissioned the famous bookbinders Sangorski & Sutcliffe to create a jewelled, gilt-edged copy of Edward FitzGerald’s Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyam—a copy that was tragically lost aboard the Titanic in 1912. This loss has since become part of literary lore, a symbol of the grandeur and fragility of rare book history.

With the upcoming move, Sotheran’s is delighted to continue dealing in rare books and prints, preserving, celebrating, and sharing printed matter—from modernist masterpieces to early manuscripts to rare materials that reveal the curiosities held within their pages and bindings. Publishing ventures are forthcoming to bring works into the light that have been forgotten, restoring them to their rightful place in the literary world.

We look forward to your visit.

 

Meet the Team

Our dedicated team of passionate booksellers ensure that every item on our shelves is authentic, researched, and accurately described. We pride ourselves on offering expert guidance, unrivalled choice, and a friendly and honest service. 

 

Chris Saunders 

Director of Collections

Chris Saunders joined Sotheran's in 2004 as the Saturday boy after completing his bachelor's degree in English at Oxford University and then a PhD on the work of the poet Edward Thomas. Cataloguing a collection of Charles Darwin books inspired him to specialise in natural history and the sciences. He became a director of the company in 2018. In his spare time he grows vegetables, plays the guitar and reads voraciously across all subjects. His own collecting interests are early twentieth century poetry and nineteenth century natural history.

chris@sotherans.co.uk

Guido Beduschi

Early Books and Manuscripts

Guido completed his PhD in History at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, with a focus on scholarship and information in early modern Europe. After an internship at Christie’s in the Books and Manuscripts department, he spent a year working at Bernard Quaritch. He joined Sotheran’s in  2024 and now works primarily in the early printed books department. He is also Books and Manuscripts Specialist at CASSIUS & Co.

guido@sotherans.co.uk

 

Oriana Peckham

Poetry and Literature

Oriana studied English Literature at Goldsmiths University and went on to complete an MFA in Creative Writing at The New School in New York. During her time in America, she spent a year as a preview worker in the Rare Books and Manuscripts department at Bonhams Auction House. She joined Sotheran’s in 2024 and specialises in Modern First Editions, primarily twentieth century American literature. 

oriana@sotherans.co.uk

 

Georg Kastl

Travel

After having studied humanities with a focus on history of arts in Augsburg Georg entered the rare book trade 30 years ago as an apprentice at a Munich book auction house, then decided to move on into the retail trade. His first such employer was Quaritch in London (science department, human science department), and he has been in the London book trade ever since. Over eleven years ago he joined Sotherans in the travel department, occasionally dealing with material not related to travel, and books in foreign languages. He considers himself a Londoner, as he loves walking this vast and ever changing urban landscape. Georg's personal interests are history, politics, architecture, the arts (music, classical and otherwise), reading fiction and non-fiction, cooking and history of gastronomy, etymology and languages. He is trying not to be a book collector, mostly with success; however, he collects the odd object which just looks good and means something.

georg@sotherans.co.uk

 

 

Richard Shepherd

Prints

Richard joined Sotheran’s in 2010 having previously worked at The O'Shea Gallery after obtaining a degree in Business Administration from Brighton University. Specialisms include Travel Posters and luggage labels, primarily from the Golden age of the 1920's and 30's. Ski posters from Switzerland and Irish posters from Donegal are personal areas of interest. Richard is a keen tennis player and enjoys swimming in the sea at all times of the year.

richard@sotherans.co.uk

 

 

Pontus Lindgren

Pontus came to London at the start of the millennium to set up Operations for Sweden Post and Post Denmark and has spent most of his professional life structuring and managing Networks, ensuring a swift process and worldwide distribution of letters and parcels. In June 2024, he came on board to streamline the operational aspects of selling rare and special books in a modern fashion. Something that resonates with his innate need for both beauty and good order.

When not reading Yeats and Lagerlöf or organising workplace logistics, Pontus listens to a lot of music. From his home or at any of London’s iconic music venues. Rock and Jazz are his preferred choices.

Pontus has a Master of Laws from Uppsala University, Sweden.

pontus@sotherans.co.uk

 


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