Sales catalogue 671: Henry Sotheran & Co

Date:
30 April 1907
Reference:
WA/HMM/CM/Sal/52/47
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sales catalogue 671: Henry Sotheran & Co. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    PREPS Ot: HE collection of Books and Manuscripts offered in this catalogue contains such distinguishing features that a few words on their main character- istics will probably be found useful before perusing the catalogue itself. The total value alone of this comparatively small collection, amounting to about £40,000, places it outside the range of ordinary book collections, and it is hoped may give it, in conjunction with the full and careful descriptions, some little interest even to the general reader. Its intrinsic value however lies in the unusually choice state of the works which compose it, the original owners of the greater portion, from its first foundation about 70 years ago, having in this respect anticipated the chief desideratum of the book-collector of the present day. Several works are in almost if not quite unique condition. In this connexion may be mentioned Large Paper copies of Painter’s ‘Palate of Pleasure’ and of Spenser’s ‘Complaints’ (both first editions), and the almost unique first edition of the latter’s ‘Shepherd’s Calendar’; also a set of original editions, with author’s presentation inscriptions, of Izaak Walton’s works, and Defoe’s ‘ Robinson Crusoe’ as published in the ‘London Post,’ of which only one other and very imperfect copy is known to exist. Among early specimens of printing may be mentioned the perfect copy (probably unique) of Caxton’s ‘Golden Legend’ [1483]; and as a specimen of an early Block Book the first edition of the ‘ Biblia Pauperum,’ published before 1450; also a fine collection of rare Hore. Of great interest is also a collection of most beautiful early Hluminated Manuscripts, and an unusually large one of early and rare editions of the English Bible; while at end will be found a Liturgical Collection, containing many works of great rarity; ¢.g., a unique portion of the _ York Breviary of 1533, and a gathering of the various editions and issues of THe Book or Common Prayer, which regarding extent, rarity, or fine condition, may safely be claimed to be unique. Attention may finally be called to the fact that collections of such high average value in their contents as the present one have become rarer and rarer of recent years, and with the dispersal of this it is within the range of probability that their era will have come to an end. The Catalogue itself is therefore commended to the sympathetic perusal of the Collector, and to the use and reference now and again of the Bibliographer. ‘The supreme virtue of a bookseller is to issue a catalogue.’—‘ Viator’ in the ‘Church Times,’ March ist, 1907. ‘We recommend the historical inquirer to keep every book-catalogue which he gets. —Professor de Morgan. |
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