Bloomsbury Book Auctions in London recently saw what was possibly the highest price ever paid in a British auction room for a book on billiards. Entitled "A Treatise on Billiards, with Instructions and Rules" it was published by John Dew in 1779 and although there are earlier books which include references to billiards, this is one of the oldest works dedicated to the subject. Apart from one other example in the British Library, this is thought to be the only surviving copy. In the face of such rarity, the catalogue estimate of £200-300 stood no chance. Fierce bidding in the sale-room and from numerous commission bids took the final price to £1,035 (including the 15% premium).