Sotheby’s Auction House held its first ever auction (of books) in London on this day in 1744.

Did you know that:

• The first English daily newspaper “Daily Courant” began publishing on this day in 1702
• Samuel Mullikin became the first inventor to obtain multiple patents on this day in 1791
• The West was first introduced to the Giant Panda when French missionary Armand David received panda skin from a hunter on this day in 1869