I'm assuming a greater part of his interest would have been Cornwall/Devon?
I would have ebay'd it myself.
I saw a similar auction of a big mining book collection go very cheap at Phillips, Par. I am talking in the order of 1/50th of bookshop price. Boxes going for £10, etc.
Sadly, I arrived late to bid on an organ just as all this was being sold, didn't have my ticket, etc. 😞