The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-29
SOME RARE OLD hooks.
sale Of the Great Collection Made By NJ.
Didot. the Parts Printer.

IDIOT, the Parts Printer.
Prom the London T,~,s, JuAs7 7.
Last week the Hotel Drouot in Paris was
the scene Of an international contest which will
hereafter be recorded rs historical. The occa-
sion was the sale Of tho second portion OF the
scripts. early printed books. rare editions and
choicely illustrated works formed during a
long life by the great Paris printer. NJ. Ambrose
Firmin- Didot. The intrinsic value OF many OF
the lots disposed OF last week in Paris was. in
deed almost immeasurable. But even tho
meanest and commonest lot In the catalogue
would carry higher value because II belonged
TO the great Didot collection. For years to
come men will collect and treasure these books.
and thus establish those relations between their
own libraries and great historical collections
h9w which Are Sss so sasrshed 9y all
impu Sc OF the genial passion called biblioma-
mia that could not have been gratiiied for IA
consideration" OF course, and generally for n
very high one. among the 525 lots Of which the
sale consisted.
The very catalogue was learned contrlbu-
ton to photography and TO the history OF
medieval manuscript Did a man covet an IL
Illuminated missal OF unique execution and in
take his choice between the missal OF Catherine
wife OF our own Henry ". at over 60 900. or the
Talbot Ps t Earl Of snreSsbSry he hero o1 Of
Shakespeare and OF England at less than
quarter OF the money. The student OF litur-
innumerabe Livres d'Heures."" Eyangelia-
ria, and miss0ls some unique. as the Hore /"
and the only copy known some connected With
historical names, Ms that associated, though by
q doubtful tradition only. with Mary. Queen Of
Scots all OF rare and many OF singular inter-
est II purchaser cared for classical manu-
scripts. there was a copy OF the Lelius Of
Cicero dating from the ninth century. or II his
Schoeffer's " Dc Oficils" OF 1865. ON vellum,
the first edition OF the first printed classic and
the seventh book known 10 bear u date. In
" incundbuid." AS specimens OF the earliest
efforts OF the printers art are called by scholars.
the collection was exceptionally rich.
block books tho
immediate predecessors Of the uss OF movable
types amounted to no less than four lots. while
there were specimens too numerous to count OF
the presses OF Faust and Schoeffer at Mentz. Of
schweynhein and PannarIz at Rome. of Giunta,
and OF the Adj. We have already mentioned
some OF the books and man user pts which de-
rive an interest beyond even their intrinsic
value as works OF art from their connection with
from the libraries Of Kings OF France bound in
that sumptuous fashion which Frenchmen
among modern nations they still preserve a
sound tradition. There was the great Latin
Bible OF Stephens treasure in itself. but trebly
precious because II had belonged to the cele-
DRAFTED library OF De Thou and bore his we'll
known stamp as well as his autograph,
magnificent collection OF themselves. A porfiof
OF them we're used by Nj. DidOt as materials for
his work on wood engraving, while the speci
mems OF other methods OF illustration on cop
per and other materials were almost equally
numerous. There were woodcuts OF Dnrer and
drawings OF Hoben. Lucas Cranachs cele-
bastian Brandts Ship Of Fools" Jean Cousins
exquisite illustrations on copper to the charming
story Of Cupid and Psyche" and last, though
far from least the rare first edition. printed by
Aldus in 1899. OF the " Dream OF POiphilo" one
OF the most characteristic productions OF the
early Renaissance. OF rare interest 10 scholars
ON account OF the language-half Latin. half
ltalian-in which 1t Is written, TO students Of
literary history on account OF Its weird neo-
classical imaginngs and most OF all TO artists
on account OF its illustrations, variously attrib-
uted to Mantegna to John Bellni, and to others
In bindings. too. there was "A Hoody show from
bulky mediDval tones. rich in embossings and
rough with gems. to those exquisite master
pieces OF the later art insert bed with the rare
and cherished mark OF Groler and his friends
Nor must we omit 10 mention one of the most
LiYre d'Heures" OF the celebrated Busy Rab-
utin. the Viyacious cousin Of Nine. de S6vigne.
The witty but incorrigble author OF the " Hs-
toire Amoureuse des Gaules prepared book
of travestied devOtions and had 1t illustrated
by Petitot with portraits OF some OF the leading
wits and beauties OF his time in the guise OF
saints, thus anticipating the spirit Of Voltaire
when he ." debased the moral currency" Of his
countrymen by parodying the story OF their
great heroine in La Pucelle" The llcentlous
letter press has long since been erased but the
illustrations are preserved in the unique copy
which M. Didot purchased few years ago for
10. 800 france and which was sold In Paris last
week for FL 900. Such were n few OF the treas
ures selected almost at random. which were Of
fered to collectors at this truly historical sale.
II is clear that period OF commercial deDres-
sion has little influence on the market price OF
rartles such IA these. The proceeds OF the
sale amounted 10 $50 900 OF which the manu-
scripts. forty-nve In number. produced nearly