"The first catalogue in Mr. Reader's collection is that of the stock of Mrs. Elizabeth Harris, deceased, which is to be sold at 'The Bear, in Avey Mary Lane,' on the 11th December, 1704, 'beginning at 9 in the morning, when the whole company shall be entertained with a breakfast, and at noon with a good dinner and a glass of wine, and then proceed with the sale in order to finish that evening.' The sale of the stock of the late John Nicholson took place in 1718 at the Queen's Head Tavern in Paternoster Row, and the catalogue bears marginal notes in Osborne's handwriting, the names of Curil and Tonson appearing amongst the buyers. Nicholson's interest in certain share books was also disposed of, including Robert Clavel's shares, which he had formerly acquired. (Robert Clavel was a bookseller who flourished during the latter half of the previous century. He carried on business at the Peacock, in St. Paul's Churchyard, and in 1673 issued the well-known 'Catalogue of all the Books Printed in England since the Dreadful Fire of London in 1666 to the end of Michaelmas Term, 1672.') Nicholson's stock and shares appeared to have realized altogether £2,533, a very respectable sum for those days. "It is remarkable that these sale catalogues were printed in almost exactly the same form as those of our own day. Nearly all are in folio, with broad margins for annotations, and they are addressed to 'A select number of Booksellers of London and Westminster,' in the identical terms still current. Only those who were invited by having a catalogue sent them were expected to attend the sale, and the invitations were restricted to booksellers of established position. 'No stallmen admitted' is the significant notice printed at the head of one of the catalogues. "It was not always a dinner that was given; sometimes it was a supper at which the buyers were entertained, as at the sale of Edward Valentine's stock in 1725, on the margin of which catalogue we first meet with the name of Longman among the buyers. In any case, however, whether the stock sold was that of an individual bookseller or a miscellaneous assortment from several contributors, it was the invariable custom to entertain those who came with a substantial repast 'and a glass of good wine.' At Thomas Osborne's sale in 1743, the catalogue even recites the delicacies which were provided, 'consisting of turkies and chines, hams and chickens, apple-pies, etc., and a glass of very good wine.'