, 1873-06-09
A REMARKABLE LIBRARY,

Early In June collection Of books Ia to bo
brought to tho hammer In England, which is not
only OF great intrinsic value, but which curious
~ illustrates tho passion for book collecting
often noticeable In persons whose associations,
and perhaps Whoso tAstes, arc tho royorse Of lit
erary. It was formed BY the lute Horny Perkins,
Of tho world~renowned firm Of Barclay l. Per-
ceoding in number 1000 or 5000 Volumes, iB
estimated to bo worth in the neighborllood
Of e400, 1000. To most porsons this must secm
IN exaggerated valuation, and, to certain
extent, It is. Bibllomanlacs however, arc Of
another opinion, md thoy, at loaat, can appre-
ciato tho keen enjoyment which Mr. Perkins
must haye experienced In tho formation Of his
library.
His collection, storod at Hanworth Park, noar
London, ia extraordinarily rich In illuminated
manuscripts, ia ancient editions Of the Biblo, in
examples Of printing on vel1um, and other speoi-
orablo placo in bibElographical annals from tho
faot that 1t contains we'll preserved copies Of tho
four folio editions Of Shakespeare. Foremost
the Mazarine Bible printed on yollum between
1450 and 1455 by Gutenberg and Faust, and
formerly In tho library Of the University OF
Ment2. This is tho first edition Of tho Holy
Scriptures, and tho frat book executed with
metal typea by tho Inventors Of the nrt Of print
cameron" atates that five copies only Of the
Mazarine Bible sre known upon y, yolam, and tho
Ave, being as clean "a the day it issued from tho
prosB. and having but one leaf which appears
doubtful. 1t Is estimated by On expert to DO
worth from $4,000 to 912,000 Scarcely
less valuable than this IN d copy OF the aamo
work, Of like dato, printed on papor This
will bo tho first instance In molorn times In
which two copies OF tho first printed book havc
beon offered ct auction on The same day. Among
othor raro editions of the Bible In tho Perkins
collection may be mentioned that Of Faust aud
Hohoefter, SUCCESSORS to Gutenberg and Faust,
printed In 14G2, on vellunl, with illuminated
capitals and valued at 81 900; ono OF 1408, which
cost h1r. Porkins about 81 200; tho first German
version, printed in tho latter part Of the fteouth
century, and valued at $500 /; Tho English vorBion
Bible printed In England, valued at $4,000; aud
an edition in nine volumes, printed On yollum In
1909, and valued at st 0O0 About twenty other
editions range In value from @t00 to $500 each.
Thoro arc also several copies Of tho Scriptures In
manuscript including tho " Bible lliBtorioe,"
written On yollunl III tho fourteenth century, arid
containing l30 miniatures aud numerous illua-
1000. Another Illuminated yollum manuscript
Of the thirteonth century, containing lac min
taturpa, lH valued at 81 800.
Noxs In Importance to tho Bibles. and Of al
| most aA great q marketable value, nro tho folio
editions Of Shakespeare. Tho flrBt Of those ia
said to bo in excellent condition, with every loaf
| gonnine-a fact Of no little Importance, oonHld-
ering how frequently nowadays porfeot fao simi-
les OF missing loayos aro inaortod N imperfect
1904 for about $4,000, and 1t Is supposed that
| tho ono in tho porklns collection viii raalizo q
| handsome advance on this sum. Tho other three
follos aro magnificent copies, IN dne bindings,
aud will fotoh very high prioos. OF scarcely losa
value to tho book collector arq two wau pre-