AL Brochure Oct 2013 | Page 48

AL50147 Bibliotheca An unusual library table, the octagonal hand tooled leather inlaid top with protruding corners, above hand gilt tooled leather book spines and four similarly panelled drawers, on turned and fluted legs terminating in acanthus leaf cast cappings and castors. George John, 2nd Earl Spencer (1758-1834) was a well known bibliophile and in his lifetime acquired an enviable collection even by museum standards. The majority of the library is now in the John Rylands University Library. Such was his expertise that he was even asked by King George III to acquire books for him. A catalogue of the library was published under the title ‘Bibliotheca Spenceriana’ which is now a sought after volume in its own right. 45 x 45 x 28 in (114 x 114 x 71 cm) 46