Arthur Probsthain

Arthur Probsthain is an independent specialist bookshop in London, United Kingdom, known for its focus on antique and scholarly books relating to Asia and Africa. The business was established in 1903 by Arthur Probsthain at Bury Place. In 1905 it moved to 41 Great Russell Street, opposite the British Museum, where it has remained associated with the same address for more than a century. Its location places it within the historic Bloomsbury book district and close to one of the world's major cultural and research institutions. The shop developed as a specialist antiquarian bookseller rather than as a general high-street book retailer. Its stock has included substantial holdings in Asian and African subjects, and the business has been described as one of London's oldest Asian-focused bookshops after Bernard Quaritch. The collection is reported to contain approximately 150,000 books, reflecting the breadth of its antiquarian and specialist inventory. Among the notable objects associated with the collection is a handwritten Quran. As with many antiquarian booksellers, the value proposition is based on the discovery, provenance, rarity, and research importance of individual items rather than on standardized mass-market product lines. Arthur Probsthain became a family business during the twentieth century. Arthur Probsthain's nephew, Walter Sheringham, joined the business and inherited it after Probsthain died in 1941. Sheringham's wife Eve was also associated with the family, and their sons Michael and Lesley joined the business during the 1970s. By 2003, Lesley's sons Tim and Christopher, described as Arthur Probsthain's great-great-nephews, were involved in the shop. This succession helped preserve the store's independent and family-run character across several generations. The premises later came to include a tearoom called Tea and Tattle, creating a combined bookselling and hospitality setting. The bookshop has also had a cultural presence beyond its retail operations: it appeared in Ranulph Fiennes's 1991 novel The Feather Men. Its long tenure at Great Russell Street, family continuity, specialist collection, and proximity to the British Museum have made it a distinctive part of London's antiquarian book trade. Publicly available reference material does not establish a separate corporate parent, stock-market listing, current ownership structure, or a detailed account of present-day trading operations.

Arthur Probsthain was founded in 1903 by its namesake at Bury Place in London. The business moved in 1905 to 41 Great Russell Street, opposite the British Museum, and that address became central to its identity as a specialist bookseller. Its location connected the shop with the intellectual and cultural life of Bloomsbury while giving it access to visitors, researchers, collectors, and scholars. The shop's principal specialization has been antique books concerning Asia and Africa. Rather than operating as a general bookseller, it built its reputation through specialist and antiquarian stock, where individual works may have importance because of their age, rarity, subject matter, provenance, or physical condition. The reported collection of approximately 150,000 books illustrates the scale of its holdings. A handwritten Quran is among the notable items associated with the collection. After Arthur Probsthain died in 1941, his nephew Walter Sheringham joined the business and inherited it. The shop consequently remained under family stewardship for much of the twentieth century. Walter's family became involved in later decades: his sons Michael and Lesley joined during the 1970s, and by 2003 Lesley's sons Tim and Christopher were also working in the business. The available historical account presents this multigenerational continuity as an important feature of the shop, although it does not provide a complete modern ownership or management record. The premises later expanded beyond bookselling to include Tea and Tattle, a tearoom sharing the shop's location. This added a hospitality element to the established specialist-retail setting. The business also entered literary culture when it was featured in Ranulph Fiennes's 1991 novel The Feather Men. Arthur Probsthain is additionally described as one of London's oldest Asian bookshops after Bernard Quaritch, a characterization linked to its long operating history and specialist collection. Public reference material confirms the bookshop's historical identity, location, specialization, family associations, and collection highlights. It does not establish detailed annual sales, a corporate group, a public listing, current named executives, or a comprehensive chronology of acquisitions and exhibitions.

• 2003

  Further family generation involved

  [1]Arthur Probsthainen.wikipedia.org

  Tim and Christopher, described as Arthur Probsthain's great-great-nephews, were involved in the business.

• 1991

  Featured in The Feather Men

  [1]Arthur Probsthainen.wikipedia.org

  The bookshop appeared in Ranulph Fiennes's novel The Feather Men.

• 1970

  Next generation joined the business

  [1]Arthur Probsthainen.wikipedia.org

  Michael and Lesley Sheringham joined the family business during the 1970s.

• 1941

  Walter Sheringham inherited the business

  [1]Arthur Probsthainen.wikipedia.org

  Following Arthur Probsthain's death, his nephew Walter Sheringham inherited and continued the business.

• 1905

  Move to Great Russell Street

  [1]Arthur Probsthainen.wikipedia.org

  The shop moved to 41 Great Russell Street, opposite the British Museum, its long-standing London location.

• 1903

  Bookshop founded

  [1]Arthur Probsthainen.wikipedia.org

  Arthur Probsthain established the specialist bookshop at Bury Place in London.

An independent, family-associated London antiquarian bookshop positioned around specialist Asian and African collections, historical continuity, rarity, and proximity to the British Museum.

• Antiquarian books

  Antiquarian Asian books

  Specialist antique and scholarly books relating to Asia form a central part of the shop's identity. The stock is intended for collectors, researchers, and readers seeking older or uncommon works rather than standard contemporary retail titles.

• Antiquarian books

  Antiquarian African books

  The shop also specializes in antique books concerning Africa. These works sit within its broader antiquarian inventory and reflect its historical role as a specialist bookseller serving subject-focused collectors and scholars.

• Rare books and manuscripts

  Rare manuscripts and historic works

  The collection includes historically significant physical items, including a handwritten Quran cited as a notable example. Public sources do not provide a complete catalogue or detailed provenance for the manuscript.

• Tearoom

  Tea and Tattle

  Tea and Tattle is a tearoom sharing the bookshop's premises. It extends the Great Russell Street site beyond specialist bookselling into a combined cultural-retail and hospitality experience.

• 1905

  Established the long-term Great Russell Street locationStrategy

  Background

  After beginning at Bury Place, the business relocated to a site opposite the British Museum.

  Action taken

  Arthur Probsthain moved the bookshop to 41 Great Russell Street, where it has remained associated for more than a century.

  Aftermath

  The location became a defining part of the shop's identity and its relationship with London's museum and bookselling district.

  Source

• Added the Tea and Tattle tearoomStrategy

  Background

  The specialist bookshop later broadened the use of its premises beyond bookselling.

  Action taken

  A tearoom named Tea and Tattle was established within the same premises.

  Aftermath

  The site operates as a combined antiquarian bookshop and tearoom, although the available sources do not give an opening date or financial details.

  Source

1. 1Arthur Probsthainen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Tea and Tattle bookshopteaandtattle.com