Victor Rothschild Collection

Sold in October 2000. Large collection of books by Lord Rothschild-- almost all signed presentation copies to his friend and tutor Dadie Rylands..12 books and 23 pamphlets and academic offprints,also a letter from Victor Rothschild and some ephemera. 

Lord Rothschild age 23 and 63

The collection reflects most aspects of his varied life--science, literature, book and antique collecting, banking, education, Judaism, gastronomy etc., Items include-- 1. ‘The Rothschild Library’ (2 large volumes 1954). Catalogue of a collection  18th Century printed books and manuscripts formed by Lord Rothschild. Signed presentation copy to Dadie Rylands "with many thanks for giving me a new interest".  Loosely inserted  is a letter to Dadie Rylands  - and a proposal for printing the book.  Rylands is also mentioned in the forward of this book. 2. ‘Some Unpublished Marginalia by Jonathan Swift .100 copies only. Pamphlet 1945. 3. Livre D’Or. Lavish leather bound quarto published by the Roxburghe Club and collecting papers of his ancestor Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild. Signed presentation copy to Dadie Rylands. 4. Privately printed books on the Lycurgus Cup and the Nelme Cup. 5. The Jews in Germany  - - pamphlet of a speech delivered in 1938 by Lord Rothschild. Presentation copy. 6. The History of Tom Jones. A Changeling. 1951. Privately printed 1951. The  fascinating story of a faked copy of Fielding’s book and VR’s purchase of it and the subsequent lawsuit against the offending bookseller. Signed presentation copy. 7. You Have it, Madam. 1980. The story of the purchase of Suez canal shares by Disraeli and Baron Lionel de Rothschild. Signed presentation copy. 8. The Shadow of A Great Man. 1981. An essay on Nathan Mayer Rothschild the founder of the dynasty. Signed presentation copy. 9. Fertilisation. A scientific textbook published in 1956 by Methuen. Signed presentation copy. 
There are pamphlets on spermatozoa, his book ‘A Classification of Living Animals, a pamphlet on Trout’s Eggs, texts of various lectures, a pamphlet written with his daughter on his attempt to give up smoking , a book of his favourite recipes, offprints from the Scientific American etc., Almost all books etc., are in fine condition, many bear the bookplate of Dadie Rylands. £1500 (sold)

Dadie Rylands (1902 - 1999) was a Cambridge fellow, literary scholar and theatre director. His rooms at King's College had colourful murals by his friend Dora Carrington. He could be seen cycling around Cambridge in leather shorts into his 90s. He had been one of Victor Rothschild's tutors while at Cambridge and VR rewarded him with a Shakespeare First Folio on leaving. Victor Rothschild (1910 - 1990) later Lord Rothschild was a scholar, biologist, cricketer and bibliophile. At Cambridge he was a member of the Apostles and a friend of Guy Burgess and Anthony Blunt. For a time he was thought to be the 'fifth man'. He employed nicorette gum in his attempt to give up smoking...