News feature
Auction house surprise
An extremely rare, personally-compiled manuscript on archery, put together by Sir Ralph Payne Gallwey of Thirkleby Park in Thirsk, sold at Tennants Auctioneers of Yorkshire for £2,600 plus premium in their sale on 18th March 2020, smashing the £600-900 estimate.
Sir Ralph Payne Gallwey (1848-1916), it appears, was a man with an particular fascination for archery. Written in the early 20th century, the beautifully compiled manuscript includes detailed research into Turkish and Chinese archery, multiple bows, bow styles and methods of shooting, all written out in a meticulous hand.
It appears Payne Gallwey was a man of many things: engineer, historian, artist and ballistics expert, and a published author on several books on shooting and the crossbow. The manuscript also includes images of an extensive collection of weapons housed at Thirkleby Park. It also includes references to Ingo Simon, one of the best known 20th century archery collectors who bequeathed his collection to the Manchester Museum. The buyer is unknown (causing a certain amount of consternation among the archery rare book fraternity) but if we find out any more about it, we'll let you know.