Accessing information
Archive sales
We operate a sales catalogue monitoring service which serves two functions: it allows us to keep up to date on the movement and the market value of historical manuscripts, and it enables us to notify British archivists of manuscript sales which may be of interest to them.
The sales team takes catalogues from the main London auction houses, specialist manuscript auctioneers and dealers, and international auction houses that sell manuscripts relating to British history. The team also regularly monitors sales only available on the Internet.
Information on manuscript sales is stored on a database and used to underpin our advice to grant awarding bodies. Members of the sales team will answer enquiries from archivists concerning manuscript sales, within reason and are happy to help assess asking prices in the light of past sales. For further information contact the sales team
of the National Advisory Services.
We have produced a checklist for archivists who are considering making archives or manuscript purchases. This outlines the main issues which need to be considered before a decision to buy is made.
Sales of certain classes of records are controlled. These include manorial records, tithe records, Parochial Registers and Records Measure and Public Records. Further information on these classes of records is contained in our Policy and Legislation pages. For Scottish public records see the Public Records Act (Scotland)
.
