Battle of the Boyne eye witness account sells for £43,200

An eye witness account of the Battle of the Boyne (estimated at £10,000-15,000) was sold yesterday at Bonhams' June 9 book sale for £43,200.

The journal's author, Captain John Stevens, tells of the chaos caused by the drunkenness of King James's troops at the crucial moments before battle was joined - a fact discreetly overlooked by 19th century historians. 

After fierce bidding, the book was finally sold to an unnamed buyer.


 Captain John Stevens's account in the run-up to the Battle of the Boyne 

Meanwhile, a specially bound first edition of James Joyce's Ulysses made £22,800 against an estimate of £10,000-15,000; and the first edition in English of Isaac Newton's Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy was sold for £28,000 (above an estimate of £10,000-15,000).

Three photographs taken by Lewis Carroll of one of his favourite models, Alexandra 'Xie' Kitchen, made £24,000 (estimated at £10,000-15,000).

In total, Bonhams' sale made £500,000 and 90% was sold by value.

 

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