The Birth of the Book Auction The late 17th century saw the arrival of a new way of buying and selling books. Amy Bowles explores the impact of the book auction on those with a commercial and scholarly interest in the printed word. Amy Bowles | Published in History Today Volume 64 Issue 11 November 2014 To continue reading this article you need to purchase a subscription, available from only £5. Start my trial subscription now If you have already purchased access, or are a print & archive subscriber, please ensure you are logged in. Please email digital@historytoday.com if you have any problems. Literature Popular articles Jane Austen: A Partial and Prejudiced Historian ‘Rot: A History of the Irish Famine’ by Padraic X. Scanlan review