[Illustration: _Mr. E. G. Hodge, of Sotheby's._]
It is curious to note the evolution of the book-auctioneer from the bookseller. Besides the names already quoted, John Whiston, Thomas Wilcox, Thomas and Edward Ballard, Sam Bathoe, Sam Paterson, 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]