Turning the page: A collection decades in the making tells the story of a lifelong passion.
Image Copyright Sotheby’s (Photo Credit: Nathan Keay, Tiny Mechanism)

Thomas Brooker (MBA 1968) acquired his first rare book in 1959, during a junior year abroad in Paris. At a stall on the banks of the Seine, he discovered a copy of Cicero’s Orationes, printed in 1543, and bought it for about eight dollars. “It struck me as something of great magnificence and beauty,” he recalls. It also seemed like an incredible bargain, but as Brooker would discover, the Cicero was worth only what he’d paid. No matter; that experience launched a lifelong passion for collecting 15th- and 16th-century French and Italian Renaissance books. Brooker, a veteran of the finance industry who later earned a doctorate in art history, also credits many generous dealers for providing an informal education on rare books, with a focus on four factors: condition, provenance, quality, and the text of the book itself.

The lifelong investment paid off last fall, when Sotheby’s held the first of eight auctions to sell Brooker’s $25 million treasure trove—some 1,300 volumes, many in their (extremely rare) original bindings. Now 84, he’s a bit sad to say goodbye to his old friends but sees the auctions as a logical way to spare his children the hassle and pass along the books to buyers who will care for them. The memories and friendships he’s made over the years will continue, he adds, as will his involvement in numerous organizations for those who love books: “Having a passion outside work is important to living your life fully.”

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