Portal Collection
Rare Books
Fine Bindings
Selected Highlights
A curated selection of rare books, manuscripts, fine bindings, and classic works, chosen for their beauty, provenance, rarity, and historical or literary significance.
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Captain Cook's Three Voyages: First Edition Set (1773-1784) with Atlas
Regular price £37,500.00 GBPRegular priceUnit price / perSale price £37,500.00 GBP -
The Magician’s Nephew - Signed First Edition with Matthiessen Provenance
Regular price £24,500.00 GBPRegular priceUnit price / perSale price £24,500.00 GBPSold out -
Roald Amundsen’s Signed, Expedition-Carried Copy of Nansen’s Fram over Polhavet (1897)
Regular price £24,500.00 GBPRegular priceUnit price / perSale price £24,500.00 GBPSold out -
Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám - Edward FitzGerald Translation, Magnificent Full Morocco Ramage Binding
Regular price £2,700.00 GBPRegular priceUnit price / perSale price £2,700.00 GBPSold out
Arch Books featured in Country Life
Arch Books was recently featured in Country Life (March 25, 2026), highlighting the sale of a remarkable pair of polar exploration volumes that accompanied Roald Amundsen on his expeditions.
Signed and annotated in the explorer’s own hand, the books were described as ‘almost without parallel in the market or in private collections’ - rare survivals that offer a direct link to one of the great journeys of the modern age.
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Own a piece of history - From the classic to the contemporary
Rare Books & Antique Prints
Arch Books is an independent antiquarian bookseller specialising in rare and first-edition works of exploration, travel, and cultural history. Stock is carefully selected with an emphasis on originality, condition, and bibliographic accuracy.
Discover a carefully curated selection of rare books and antique prints, each chosen for its historical significance, aesthetic quality, and enduring scholarly interest. Our stock spans landmark works of exploration, literature, science, and cultural history, alongside finely produced antique prints and distinctive ephemera. From illustrated children’s classics and early travel narratives to botanical and ornithological plates, every item is selected with an emphasis on authenticity, condition, and lasting value.
Trusted by collectors
A selection of recent Google reviews from Arch Books clients.