New-York tribune., 1873-06-19

nor is he to be trusted IN any matter WneTe eAdcuo
isrequired However there can he little doubt that
this book was printed at Mayence, and we have the
usual roundabout testimony that before the sheets
were worked off the cost of il had reached 1000 flor
ms Whether on paper or vellum, it is one of the
finest books and rarest in the world and one OF the
finest "a well as earliest specimens of printing. One
can almost agree with the cataloguer that in con-
templating this work. the mind is lost in astonish-
ment that the inventors of printing should, by a
single effort, have exhibited the perfection OF their
art,D
The book is in two volumes folio Cbut the vellum
copies are printed on single, unfolded sheets,
printed in double columns of AZ lines each except
ing the first eight which have 40 and the ninth ana
tenth, which have Al. If / rightly understood Mr.
Henry Stevens the copies vellum differ from the
copies on paper to such an extent that they are
really two different editions; the number OF lines
on the pages varying in the two, and the settngup
showing other variations The types employed are
manifestlv cast in imitation of the letters designed
by the writers of the misSals and other books OF
church service. OF the two Perkins copies, had
an opportunity to examine only that on Vellum'
Whether the finest in existence or not, 1t Is an
extraordinarily good example. 1t formerly consu-
tuted SAYS the catalogue the chief ornament ana
glory of the Library of the University OF Mentz,
whence it was obtained by Messrs. Nicol DlDdln
saws it then wanted two leaves which were supplied
by Whitaker in facsimile. The cataloguer admits
that he has found one doubtful leaf, but has
quite failed to discover the second. One
missing leaf is quite enough to destroy all claim
of this copy to be considered perfect l do not
know on what authority it is stated that not one
of the five known copies are beliered to be perfect
To begin with, there are seven known copies on
vellum instead of five. | cannot at the moment
refer to Renouard's catalogue, but don't think all
of the seven are known believed to be imperfect.
In other respects, the Perkins copy is really so
magnificent as to make its single deficiency all the
more deDlorable. 1t measures 1G inches by l25, and
its edges are in many places the actual edges OF the
skin. Mr.. Stevens called my attention to point
that not even the zeal Of the cataloguer had dis
covered viz that even the pin-hoes not trimmed
OF. 1t has blank leaf at the beginning of Vol. L.,
and the general condition of the vellum is excellent
OF will be if the purchaser will only wipe off with
silk handkerchief the preparation with which some
superserviceabe resOrer has smeared the yellum to
make it look white and pure. The ink is bril-
liant, the impression beautifully sharp and
clear 1t is monument of Typography,
vet TO one who cares for printing the
copy on paper is a more desirable book At the lat
ter had only glance, but, in the first place, it is
absolutely perfect, and in the second all vellum
printing is a struggle with needless difficulties and
the best impression can hardly equal the best on
paper Every bookfancier knows the difficulty of
getting any book and especially any modern
book on vellum in a good state. The regis
ter Of the paper copy of the Mazarin Bible is perfect
while in the veum copy almost every other page is
uneven. There are 20 copies in existence paper,
of which one at least is in America, in the Knox
library, bought by him long ago for $500.
But there they were. BE their merits defects
what they might, they are matchless pair, and
ANYBODY who wanted Mazarin Bible knew that
choice between two copies was not likely to occur
again in his lifetime. The yellum copy was put
up at thiTy-two minutes past five, and was
started at 1000 guineas by Mr.. ToOvey, book
seller in Picadilly. The second bid was El,2OO
the third G1,400, and they advanced this regularly
and rapidly by stepsOf G2O0 each till the book stood
at E24OO, when Mr.. Ellis bid G25O0. From this
time on there were but two competitors. In that
crowded library there remained nobody but Mr..
Ellis and Mr.. TOoyey to contest its possession The
bidding rose steadily and almost without pause by
hundreds TO G3,1OO; then by tifties little more
slowly 10 f82jO. which was Mr.. Toovey's offer. Mr.
Ellis appealed TO to advance, refused. The auction
GERS hammer swung in the air just ready to fall
again added $50 Mr.. Ellis slowly said G310O; there
was a hush, moment of silence, followed by a mo-
ment of entreaty from the auctioneer but Mr..
Toovey shook his head and moved away, and the
hammer came down at f340O. The selling had oc-
cupied Just six minutes. Till then the largest sum
ever bid for a printed book was E2,26O at the Rox-
burgh sale by the Marquis Of Blandford for the
unique Valdarfer Boccaccio of 1471. and the only
other book remember to have fetched over f1,OOO
was the first Caxton, with a date also 147l, the
" Recuyeu of the Historyes of TrOye," sold at a
thousand guineas at the same sale, 81 years ago.
The paper copy followed at once. This also Mr.
Toovey started at thousand guineas, and Messrs
Ellis and TOovey the chiefbi till reached
G1 800, when Mr. Quartch came to the front and bid
f2OOO. From this point the contest was maintained
between Mr. Quaritch and Mr.. Tooyey, the bidding
advancing only by G10, and sometimes by 60, till
the book was knocked down TO Mr.. Quaritch for
90 600 1t was understood that Mr.. Ellis bought on
a commission and Mr.. Quaritch on his own account
TO sell again. though as to the former am not sure
The two together brought G6O9O-say $4,000. /
cannot learn that any American library collector
made an effort TO secure either One order sent for
the yellum copyat co $50, was withdrawn by cable
AN expense quite thrown away. The amount of the
single days sale was G10,393; Of the four days,
f25743. More than four-ffths of this sum was pro-
duced by IS books and manuscripts The whole
amount would have been increased but for the usual
knockout" among the booksellers-an operation
compared with which highway robbery is an honor
able profession. G. W. s.
SOME OF THE PRICES PAID.
NJ