Important Sporting Book Auction

[Dean Romig]

This is a "Good News - Bad News" announcement.

Vicki Steifel Tapply, the late Bill Tapply's wife, contacted me a while ago to ask me if I could get the word out to interested groups that Bill's remaining library of sporting books would soon be consigned to auction. That's the "Good News". I contacted the auction house asking to be notified and sent a catalog as soon as they knew when the auction would be held. I contacted them a few more times over the following weeks reiterating my request. Finally, yesterday I received the catalog but the very unfortunate thing, the "Bad News" part, is that the auction will be next Tuesday, April 26. I know this is very short notice and I'm sorry. To make matters worse, there is no indication on any of the lots of books (there are several numbered lots containing from 1 to 25 books per lot and the bidding will be per lot number) which ones might have been part of Bill's library. I have called the auction house twice and left messages requesting any clarification as to which were Bill's but have yet to receive a return call. Many of the books in the Tapply collection were originally inscribed to Bill's father, "Tap" Tapply, by important authors who knew him personally back in the day when he was Editor of "Field & Stream" magazine and before.

There are many, many very rare and desirable collectible books in this auction, from Amwell Press' Evans books to Derrydales from the twenties and thirties, many of them signed and inscribed by Eugene Connett as well as the authors of the books. There are gamebird hunting titles, waterfowl hunting titles, firearms titles, big game titles, fishing titles, fly-fishing titles - you name it, its there by all the big name authors from the 18th century right up to present.

If I am able to get any information regarding the Tapply collection I'll certainly post it here as soon as I receive it.

The auction house is New England Book Auctions of Sunderland, MA. Tel #413-665-3253 and on the day of the auction the tel.# 413-584-3100. The auction will be held at the Hotel Northampton in Northampton, MA. They say in the catalog that telephone bids should be placed no later than 5 pm and one can only presume this means on the day preceding the auction?