Understand
Rare 200-year-old Oxfordshire maternity register sells for £4,900 at auction
Overview
A handwritten 19th-century maternity register documenting births in rural Oxfordshire between 1820 and 1830 has sold at auction for £4,900, significantly exceeding its initial estimate of £200 to £400. Discovered in a Dorset loft during a house clearance, the register was part of a larger family medical archive that sold for a total of £10,600.
Key points
- The 200-year-old maternity register sold for £4,900 against an estimated £200-£400 by Rare Book Auctions.
- It documents births and medical care in rural Oxfordshire villages between 1820 and 1830, detailing dates, patient histories, and visit fees.
- The document was found in a Dorset loft during a routine house clearance alongside other medical books and lecture notes.
- The wider medical archive sold for a total of £10,600, well above expectations.