Six books inscribed by Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), the founder of modern nursing, are to be auctioned in a timed sale of Books and Maps next month. They are being sold by descendants of WJP Burton, the principal of a school sited in the Nightingale family home in Derbyshire, with expectations of £3000-5000.
31 August 2021
The textbooks on subjects such as geology, history, and botany were given - seemingly second-hand - by Florence Nightingale to the school in her later years. In an 1893 copy of Macmillan’s Geology (1893) she wrote in pencil Mr Burton, with Florence Nightingale’s congratulations on the good he is doing, Christmas, 1897 while in a two-volume printing of Alfred Mahan’s The Influence of Sea Power upon the French Revolution (1892) she had inscribed Mr. Burton, Lea Board School, with Florence Nightingale’s grateful acknowledgements for the good he is doing. The presentation dates range from January 1884 to December 1888.
WJP Burton was the principal of Lea Board School in Holloway, Derbyshire that was sited in Lea Hurst, the former Nightingale family home built by William Edward Nightingale (1794-1874) on inherited lands in 1825. Florence (who was born in Italy and took the name of her city of birth) had grown up at Lea Hurst – the family invariably spent the summer there and the winter at Embley Park, Hampshire – and she retained a strong connection with the property school, later joining the school board.
The collection has been sent for sale by Burton’s grandchildren.
Sworders’ book specialist Michael Kousah comments: “Florence is known for her sometimes haphazard inscriptions to books, typically done in pencil. With this in mind, and the strong provenance, I knew I was handling something special.”
Florence Nightingale first came to prominence while serving as a manager and trainer of nurses during the Crimean War in which she organised care for wounded soldiers at Constantinople. As ‘The Lady with the Lamp’ who made rounds of wounded soldiers at night, she became an icon of Victorian culture. In 1860, she laid the foundation of professional nursing with the establishment of her nursing school at St Thomas’ Hospital in London – the first secular nursing school in the world.
The books will be offered for sale as a single lot in a timed auction. Bidding will open on Friday September 17, ending on Sunday September 26.
George Fejér (1912-1996) had a view on how to improve the design of more or less everything in the home, from the kitchen sink to the bedroom cupboard. Discover the story behind Fejér's impactful career, ahead of furniture designed by George appearing in our 28 January Design auction.
9 December 2024
English studio potter Charles Vyse has an exciting and vibrant selection of ceramic works on offer in Sworders 28 January Design sale. Delve into the history of the craftmanship behind these pieces and the career that led to such captivating creations.
4 December 2024
Hidden around the Stansted Mountfitchet site of Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers, we are lucky to have two beehives that have been busily working throughout the year. Jars of honey were offered in return for donations, which went towards to raising money for 'Young Lives vs Cancer', our charity of the year, and we’re hoping that more honey will be on offer in 2025. John Black delves into the apiary...
4 December 2024