For seasoned collectors, hunting for rare, unusual texts is always a mix of luck and networking. StoryLTD, a shopping and auction platform, is hoping to make it easier for collectors, with the announcement of a book auction slated for this week, which will see several out-of-print and reference manuscripts on diverse scholarly subjects dating from the 19th century onwards.

The collection, comprising 130 lots, includes works by experts and academics such as Mulk Raj Anand, Karl Khandalavala, George Michell, Ananda Coomaraswamy, Stella Kramrisch, and C Sivaramamurti, and encompass a variety of specialisations including architecture, Indian temples, textiles, arms and armour, photography, miniature art, design, love and erotica, and the visual and performing arts.