Quinn's Auction Galleries Names New Division Director

From Jill Collins PR: Catherine Payling has joined the Falls Church-based Quinn’s Auction Galleries as director of its Waverly Rare Books division.

Payling was, for 15 years, director-curator of the Keats-Shelley House in Rome, Italy. She managed its research library, one of the largest devoted to British and European Romanticism in Europe.

During her tenure in Rome she discovered, authenticated and arranged publication of a Mary Shelley manuscript novella, which had been lost for almost 200 years. She is an acknowledged expert both in
authentication of manuscript and other material, and in their conservation and preservation. She curated exhibitions with the American Academy in Rome.

In 2003 she was honored by HRH Prince Charles with the Member of the Order of British Empire for her service to Anglo-Italian relations.

Prior to her time in Rome she was a curator in the printed books and manuscripts department at the National Maritime Museum in London and also worked at the Royal Opera House.

She graduated from Oxford University with undergraduate and Masters degrees in English literature. She and her husband, Duncan Wu, the Raymond Wagner Professor of Literary Studies at Georgetown University,
are lifelong collectors of fine and decorative arts.

Quinn's Auction Galleries is a full service auction and estate services company with a range of specialties from fine art and antiques to rare books and maps.

Photo courtesy of Jill Collins PR