The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-06-21
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ExPENSuyE HOOKS.

The Bible ought to I've held priceless on
account of its sacred truths. hut in Eng
land, at the sale of Mr.. Pcrkins's library, in
the early part of this month, it was held
almost priceless according to the rarity of
the edition. II seemed a sort of sacrilegc
to buy it from AN old curiosity shop called
a library to stock other curiosity shops.
There We're 1856 books in the library. and
they brought S136, 900, averaging over Il
hundred dollars n volume. OF this sum
fifty-fvc hooks and manuscripts brought
S1OS,000. One of the first edition of
the Latin Bible having date, folio
printed on vcllum in 1852. with illumin-
atcd capitals. sold for $1,000 1t is one of
only sixty copies. forty ON vclum and
twenty on paper. All this money was not
paid because its teachings were so precious
to the purchaser that he was determined to
have the first that ever came with date
from Il printing press. lie wanted it for
the same reason that diamond or an India
shawl brings high price because few
can own them High prices are paid in
England for books which have been in the
Libraries Of kings or their mistrcsscs, or
contain poetry or romanCes three hundred
years old, or possess remarkable bindings.
First folio copies of Shakespeare have been
sold for $685., S2,92j and 81. $50. They
measured I3l by 81 inches. The size is
something. When people buy book they
usually want it ut first hand from the book
store but the old volumes in Mr.. Pcrkinss
library brought higher prices the older
they were. The first folio copy of Shake
speare had been almost spoiled by some
ancient binder or his apprentice, cutting
away nearly all the top margin. II there
had been little more white paper at the
top of the book. the most reckless book
seller dare not say what price 1t might
have brought. 4 second folio went for
S22O, third for $685. and fourth for
$11O.
But the great book of the Perkins sale
was Mazarin Bible, 80 called because the
first copy known in modern times was
found in the library of Cardinal Mazarin.
1t is magnificently printed on vellum, in
imitation of ancient missal writing, is sup
posed to have been issued about the years
1850 OF 1855, for it has no date, and is
likewise thought to be the first Latin Bible
and the first book printed with metal types
Notwithstanding its four hundred years of
age the printing is clear and bright. 1t
always was costly book. Before Guten-
berg and Faust finished printing it the cost
is supposed to have risen to a thousand
dollars. AT the Perkins sale vellum
copy, though imperfect, as it had lost a
leaf, brought seventeen thousand dollars
1t is one of seven copies Itmeasurcs 16b by
1919 inches. Apaper copy of the same edition
was next put up and brought Sl3,450.
These copies are supposed to have been
printed at Mayence. The paper copy is
perfect, and the printing necessarily rather
better than on the vclum. These two
books brought $4,000. Putting gold at
115 these purchases cost in our currency,
for the paper copy, S15,4G7.50 for the
vellum copy, 3d. $50; and for both to-
gether, S35, 0l7.50. Yet some people think
$3.50 enough to pay for brand-new
Bible, and would consider the bookseller
extortiOnatc if he should add $4,000 to
his demand
Mr.. Perkins made the money with which
he bought these raritics by selling better
porter than the average-a whitening re-
buke to the prohibitionists