A first edition from 1710 of Irish philosopher George Berkeley’s A Treatise concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge sold for a hammer price of €13,000 at the opening day of Fonsie Mealy’s Christmas Rare Book and Collectors sale in Castlecomer today. The scarce volume contained in a worn cover had been estimated at €3,000-€4,000. The love letters of the poet Thomas Davis and a complete set of Cuala Press broadsides each made €6,500, a copy of The Aran Island signed by Synge and Yeats made €5,400 and a copy of Finnegan’s Wake signed by James Joyce made €3,600. The auction continues on December 12.