So what is this mysterious address? It is the home of the Magesterial and frankly, slightly intimidating, Quaritch—no, not the blue alien guy from Avatar. I’m talking about Bernard Quaritch Ltd, one of the most legendary antiquarian booksellers on the planet. We’re not talking about your aunt’s dog-eared copy of Fifty Shades here. We’re talking about books so old and rare that they probably have their own separate pension plans.
Walking into 19 Bury Place is like walking into a library that a very rich wizard built on a dare. The building itself is a narrow, four-storey townhouse that looks like it's been squished by its neighbours. Inside, it's a labyrinth of creaky floors, floor-to-ceiling shelves, and the kind of quiet that makes you want to apologize for breathing too loudly. If you sneeze in there, you might dislodge a first edition of Paradise Lost worth more than your car.
This is where the stories get juicy.
Here’s a surprising fact that will blow your mind: Bernard Quaritch started this business all the way back in 1847. That’s older than the telephone. Older than the lightbulb. It was founded by a man with an epic beard and a monocle who clearly knew that paper was the original blockchain. They’ve been selling books to everyone from Victorian aristocrats to modern-day oligarchs who want to impress their dinner guests.
But wait—it gets better. In the 1920s, the shop was a hangout for the Bloomsbury Group. You know, the crowd of eccentric artists and writers who basically invented the modern concept of being "dramatically interesting." We’re talking Virginia Woolf, John Maynard Keynes, and E.M. Forster right here. Imagine them arguing about the meaning of life while surrounded by ancient tomes and wearing tweed. It’s basically a BBC period drama that smells like old paper and cat pee (but mostly old paper).
Bury Place, London WC1A 2 bed flat for sale - £675,000
