rson, Sam Baker,
and George Leigh, were all booksellers as well as book-auctioneers. Of
these the firm established by Samuel Baker in 1744 continues to flourish
in Sotheby, Wilkinson and Hodge. The earlier auctioneers with whom books
were a special feature, but who did not sell books except under the
hammer, include Cock (under the Great Piazza, Covent Garden), Langford
(who succeeded to Cock's business), Gerard, James Christie, Greenwood,
Compton, and Ansell.

[Illustration: _A Field-day at Sotheby's._

(Reduced, by kind permission, from a full-page engraving in the
_Graphic_.)]

[Illustration: _Key to the Characters in the 'Field-day at Sotheby's.'_

1. Mr. G. S. Snowden
2. Mr. E. Daniell
3. Mr. Railton
4. Mr. J. Rimell
5. Mr. E. G. Hodge
6. Mr. J. Toovey
7. Mr. B. Quaritch
8. Mr. G. J. Ellis
9. Mr. J. Roche
10. Mr. Reeves
11. Lord Brabourne
12. Mr. W. Ward
13. Mr. Leighton
14. Mr. E. W. Stibbs
15. Mr. H. Sotheran
16. Mr. Westell
17. Mr. Walford
18. Henry
19. Mr. Dobell
20. Mr. Robson
21. Mr. Dykes Campbell
22. Palmer's boy
23. Dr. Neligan
24. Mr. C. Hindley
25. Earl of Warwick
26. Mr. Molini
27. Mr. H. Stevens
28. Mr. F. Locker-Lampson
29. Mr. E. Walford]

The firm of Sotheby, Wilkinson and Hodge is, by nearly half a century,
the _doyen_ of London auctioneers. One hundred and fifty years is a long
life for one firm, but Sotheby's can claim an unbroken record of that
length of time. The founder of the house was Samuel Baker, who started
as a bookseller and book-auctioneer in York Street, Covent Garden, in
1744. At the latter part of his career, Baker, who retired in 1777 and
died in the following year, took into partnership George Leigh, and, at
a later date, his nephew, John Sotheby, whose son Samuel also joined the
firm. Writing in 1812, Richard Gough observes in reference to Leigh:
'This genuine disciple of the _elder Sam_ [Baker] is still at the head
of his profession, assisted by a _younger Sam_ [Sotheby]; and of the
Auctioneers of Books may not improperly be styled _facile princeps_. His
pleasant disposition, his skill, and his integrity are as well known as
his famous _snuff-box_, described by Mr. Dibdin as having a not less
imposing air than the remarkable periwig of Sir Fopling of old, which,
according to the piquant note of Dr. Warbu