About Deborah Coltham Rare Books
Welcome to Deborah Coltham Rare Books, specialist dealer in Antiquarian Medicine and Science.
I find television very educating. Every
time somebody turns on the set,
I go into the other room and read a book.
Groucho Marx (1890 - 1977)
After graduating from St Andrews University in 1994 with an MA Honours degree in English Literature and Medieval History, I joined the leading London firm of Pickering & Chatto Ltd as an apprentice to the Head of the Science and Medicine Department. After succeeding the role in 1998 and enjoying many years of successful trading, I set up Deborah Coltham Rare Books in July 2006.
I have extensive experience of developing collections, having worked closely with major libraries, institutions, and individual collectors both in the UK and world-wide. I hope to continue and develop future relationships with collectors, helping to locate much sought after volumes, or share the thrill of finding the unknown and unexpected.
My aim is to stock rare and important books (together with occasional manuscripts and ephemeral items) in a range of scientific and medical subjects, primarily in first or early editions, and both in the original language or translation. An emphasis will be placed on books of the eighteenth and nineteenth century, though this will not be a rigid criterion of selection. Books relating to the Social Sciences and history of ideas will also be sourced, with books by or about women a particular area of interest.
I hope to issue at least two major catalogues each year, with
occasional thematic lists also planned, and all available upon request.
Shortly, a selection of my stock will be available to view on this site,
and I also hope to publish .pdf versions of future catalogues to view on
line.
Being close to London, in the High Weald of Kent, makes it easy for me to
view and bid at auctions on your behalf, and I am also happy to discuss
options for working on commission.
Please feel free to contact me about specific wants, or for advice on collection development.
Deborah.
