In May 1981, after more than a century of official silence, an independently undertaken catalogue of the British Library's collection of erotical and sexualia was published by Jay Landesman Ltd.

Entitled The Private Case: An Annotated Bibliography of the Private Case Erotica Collection in the British (Museum) Library, this work was compiled by Patrick Kearney, who over a period of seven years called for, handled and made an exact annotated description of every book in the British Library's Private Case. Mr Kearney's labours have at las successfully filled on of the gaping holes in the bibliography of the world's erotica.

In his introduction to the catalogue of over 2,000 title, Mr legman, one of the leading authorities in this field, writes: 'The history, mystery and art of erotica, its creation and collection, even its conservation in great public libraries . . . is a subject on which whole books could be written . . .' Indeed, and Mr Legman's comprehensive Introduction goes some way to making a start. Compressed as it is, his essay on the history of erotica, and the obstacles put in the way of those who wish acknowledge and record its existence, takes us from the Song of Solomon to Anais Nin - about whose contribution to the genre (Delta of Venus, etc.) Mr Legman has some fascinating personal insights to make. He has gathered together all of the available information on similar collections and their catalogues, together with other extant bibliographies and reference works on the subject, and has put the whole matter of bibliographical work in this area into its historical and social perspective in a way that no other contemporary writer could have done.

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