Credit: Rare Book Auctions
A portfolio of papers by maths genius Alan Turing has sold for a record £465,000 at auction.
The papers were found in a loft and heading to the shredder.
But a family’s curiosity into their provenance led to a “drop-in” valuation day in Southwell, Nottinghamshire held by auctioneer Charles Hanson.
Mr Hanson said:
“Knowing Turing’s legacy – his life, his brilliance, and his contribution to modern computing – I was completely taken aback.
“How does one even begin to place a value on such a legacy?
“That’s why we were able to piece together the significance of these documents.
“The result was an outpouring of global interest, and a reminder that Turing’s life and achievements must continue to be celebrated and studied.”
“The vendor was absolutely over the moon.
“To think these precious papers could’ve been lost to the shredder; now they will go on to educate and inspire generations.
“Turing was a man ahead of his time, and through these pages, he lives on.”
The collection, which had been stashed away in a loft for decades, was offered for sale by the family of Norman Routledge.
He was a life-long friend and fellow mathematician with Turing.
Both men studied at the University of Cambridge.
The documents had been gifted to Routledge by Turing’s mother, Ethel.
They included some of the most significant and rare academic offprints of the 20th century.
An off print is a signed paper written by an academic then shared among other like-minded people.
The Turing Papers were sold through Rare Book Auctions – a subsidiary company to Hansons Auctioneers.
Director Jim Spencer said:
“Nothing could’ve prepared me for what I found in that carrier bag.
“These plain looking academic papers were absolutely electrifying, the very bedrock of modern computing.
“Handling them was both humbling and haunting.
“Knowing the tragic arc of Turing’s life only adds to the emotional weight.
“This was the most important archive I’ve ever handled.
“The papers came within inches of being destroyed, and instead they’ve captured the world’s imagination.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime discovery – not just for collectors, but for the sake of preserving the story of one of the greatest minds in history.”
Bridget Pitcher, a relative of Norman Routledge, said:
“It’s just amazing.
“These papers were heading for the shredder after being found in the loft.
“It was only by chance we took them to a Charles Hanson valuation day.
“He couldn’t believe his eyes when I took them out of a plastic bag.
“His team did a wonderful job in bringing the papers to auction – in particular Jim Spencer.”
