Ed Maggs

Spear’s Review

Ed Maggs is the managing director of Maggs Bros. One of the largest and oldest antiquarian book dealers in the world, it was established in 1853 by Uriah Maggs, Ed’s ancestor.

He is also head of its modern department, specialising in TE Lawrence. The firm – which holds a Royal Warrant – is famous for buying, among many other treasures, a Caxton Press Canterbury Tales, the first book printed in England, for a record £4.6 million in 1998.

More than 100,000 books are available through Maggs’ catalogues, including Irish literature, naval and military tomes, portfolios of Japanese photography and early British literature, as well as maps and manuscripts, and extremely rare books from the Roxburghe Club.