Spivey's to Be Liquidated Beginning on January 5th

- By Bruce McKinney

A book buyer's Mecca for thirty years

On January 5^th and 6^th, 2012 Dirk Soulis Auctions is conducting the sale of the stock of Spivey’s Maps, Fine Art, Prints and Rare Books of Kansas City.  This first of what is expected to be three events runs for two days.  In this dispersal more than 1,800 lots are offered covering what is estimated to be 45,000 items.  Over the course of three sales 85,000 items will be sold.  In the initial sales typical lots include twenty-five items.

The firm was organized in 1978 by David Spivey and is the product of his interest in antiques and books.  An extensive reader, he encouraged his staff to be knowledgeable in the British tradition and this lead to widespread recognition for knowledge and fastidious standards.  Bidders can expect the material, while sold as is, to be generally very good.

The material covers many, probably most of the categories, into which open American bookshops divide stock:

General Fiction,

Biography

Science and technology

General History

Military history

Local history

Reference material on obscure, specialty topics

Ephemera – sold by the pound -

Prints wood block

Because the stock is extensive it’s probably best to run searches.  In the search results the descriptions are spare but images are provided so that the diligent can read the spines.