The principal books from the private library of internationally renowned mural artist Graham Rust are set to go under the hammer this April, as part of The Library Sale at Cheffins in Cambridge.
Comprising of some 1,700 volumes, the collection has been assembled over several years and offers an insight into a lifetime of artistic and scholarly interest. The core of the library was originally formed by Mrs H.M (Sue) Hopton of Chesham House, Chesham Place, London, and was later bequeathed to Rust, who has lived with and added to the collection for more than 25 years at his Suffolk country home.
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Graham Rust, in the library of his Suffolk home
The sale includes a broad range of material, from early works dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries to decorative leather and gilt bound volumes suited to both collectors and interior designers. Highlights from the collection include a number of books that belonged to Mary Berry 1763–1852, author and friend amongst others, of Horace Walpole, with her annotations and insertions.
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The library at Graham Rust's home
Charles Ashton, Director at Cheffins, who is handling the sale, comments:
“Sorting the contents of Graham Rust’s library has been a significant undertaking. This is one of the most comprehensive, authentic and traditional private libraries to come to be consigned with us for auction in recent times. It spans everything from important early printed books to more accessible sets, and it also carries a strong aesthetic appeal. Well-bound books of this calibre are increasingly sought after, not only by collectors but by those looking to create characterful library interiors.”
Graham Rust adds:
“I am gradually downsizing in order to focus on my painting, in particular my current mural of panels of the Roman temples at Baalbek, Lebanon. It has been a privilege to live alongside Sue’s remarkable library for so many years, and I hope the collection will now find new homes where it can continue to be enjoyed.”
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The library at Graham Rust's Suffolk home
Born in Hertfordshire in 1942, Rust trained at Regent Street Art School, the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London, and the National Academy of Art in New York. He is celebrated internationally for his murals and ceiling paintings, with major commissions across the UK, Europe, the United States and the Middle East, and is also widely known as a book illustrator.
In addition to the Rust collection, The Library Sale will feature further selections of books with Walpole family provenance, maps and prints, together with works on paper.
To view the calendar of sales and catalogue of auctions at Cheffins, please click here
Auction: The Library Sale – 16th April 2026
Location: Cheffins, Clifton House, 1-2 Clifton Road, Cambridge, UK, CB1 7EA
For further information contact the Fine Art Department on 01223 213343, [email protected]