The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-04-08

fvew YORK journal Of co,nmerce.J

/ Of the Bible printed with movable type, auu
one OF the first books tby some supposed 20
be the f;rst) 80 printed. IL Is not dated' U"'
was printed between 1880 and HOB. Tue
present is the first copy ever onereu III
sale In America, and the event Is no,e"o'
thy. At the Perkins sale in Eng'ano 'nIee
years ago q copy sold for E2,6so, aho u wa oSs
af,erwsrd resold bv it, purchaser LOT Ao'VvV
| 10 the late Mr.. HUH, whose library y ce'e.
brated. That copy, as well ss tue pIeseu'
one, was printed on PAGER. copy on ver
mm would bring q much higher price, but
| 1, ia not very likely that an opportunity
will occur 10 ascertain how high that price
| would be.
This sale furnishes text Tor some notes
on old Bibles and other books whicn may
| be timely, inasmuch as Just now several
| paragraphs are travelling the rounds OF the
newspapers concerning old books, lndl-
eating an interest In the subject. O'd BIZ
bles are not such rare books % some im-
agne. The value OF an old book depends
on considerations distinct from the ques,
ton OF antiquity. Thus Of two books, OF
the same press and date, one may be worm
hundreds OF dollars while the other Is not
worth dollar. Old Bibles are more or less
valuable, but the aye Is OF small account IN
the estimate. The number OF editions OF
the Bible, or parts OF the Bible, published
before the discovery Of Amerca-tbat is,
| In the forty years between 1452 and 1892
Is found by Mr.. Henry Stevens Oae best OF
autborities) 10 be more than one thousand.
1 He states that be has compiled list (stiil
far from completely Of about 10000 editions
of the Bible, and parts OF ii, since printing
was invented.
| The Bible was translated and published
| in modern languages at an early dafe, very
shortly sitter the invention OF printing with
movable type. 10 appeared IN various dia'
lecis OF northern Europe, and ID Italian,
in so many editions that book readeis-who
who were not oyer.abundant--had ample
supply. The custom Of ornamenfing manu-
scrjp,s with beauiifully-p painted initial let
ters and miniatures was followed in printed
Bibles, and about l470 German Bibles
were published with large wood'cut
initials in which were rude pictures OF
Bible subjects. Editions with wOod-cut
illustrations in the text were nearly
Simultaneous with these. One OF the
earliest fully illustrated Bibles, II not the
earliest 10 which that description properly
applies, was an edition in the local dialect OF
Cologne, published there between l4z0 and
1915. This was the predecessor OF the
whole line OF great illustrated Bibles OF all
later times. II was a powerful edition; Tor
It's cuts were reproduced in various editions
Immediately, and reGrawn and reengraved
for vast number Of Bibles IN succeeding
wears and centuries. Ii has been recently
shown that many OF the Bible pictures at
tributed 10 Holbein in the next century are
the designs OF this old Cologne Bible.
| The publication Of other book, soon fol-
lowed that OF the Bible. The printing
press was at first employed in reproducing
copies OF books which men already knew
and would buy. 1t does not yet appear
when authorship began its modern relations
| TO the publisher, and we do not know that
| il has been determined what was the first
book printed and published for its author.
Early in the sixteenth century such books
abounded, and copyright, IN the shape OF
grants OF exclusive rights OF publication,
became common. OF books more than 400
years old there are plenty in The shops.
The money value of old books, like the
money value OF everything ese in this
world. depends on the demand for the artl-
Gle. II no one wishes 10 eXchInge gold for
a book II, in other words, there is no mar
| ket for the book, il has no monty value rs q
| book, and may be sold for old paper at
better price than as book. Ii people would
keep this commercial doctrine in view they
would save themselves a good deal OF
| anxiety about the money value OF old OBJ
| iecls. The common expression, sit is
more than a hundred wears DID," is used
everywhere with an idea that this
establishes money value. The market
always settles the price. a book, al
coin, piece OF pottery may be old and
OF very small pecuniary value, either be-
cause there is no market for it or because
it is one OF class of which there are plenty
to supply the market. The gold slater OF
Alexander the Great is beautiful ancient
Greek coin, but the supply OF genuine
specimens is abundant for ali purchasers,
and the price is therefore not high. Many
another ancient coin, far less interesting in
historical view, is worth many times a. much
as the Alexander. This is because there
are collectors DESTROYS OF purchasing exam.
Piles for their cabinets ready to bid against
each other for rare specimens. III mere
antiquity were the measure OF value, stones
from any hillside would be valuable.
Obviously, il Is not possible in biei ar
ticle to enumerate the various c0nsidera-
tons which create markets and give salable
value to classes OF books. These considera-
tons vary in changing times. There was
great Ikdu OutC toINNtpiS W DpS-
SECS first printed editions OF ancient classic
authors, and prices of some such editions
were enormous because Of this market. Such
editions are still valued, and OF some the
prices are high, but the rivalry no
longer exists, and therefore the sales
are slow and prices much lower
than formerly. There will always be
q great contest between purchasers for
the first Gutenberg Bible. lis possession
can never be otherwise than pride TO
either public library or private indi-
vidual. No wealthy person could better in-
vest his money than in buying H.. For In
his house it would he an unceasing object
OF interest to his family aud friends, and an
instructor OF children in It's silent gram
deur. Ii is the monument which marks the be- |
ginning OF that great era in the worlds his |
tory, the invention OF printing with movable
type, and ii is the frs; Bible ever printed. |
1t Is certain that II ever hereafter offered
for sale it will bring an advanced price on |
whatever il now feiches. 1t ought TO be |
bought for New York by New York ciIi- |
zen, and its final place OF deposit should be !
with the Museum of Art, as an illustration |
OF the great art whose first product it is, |
or with the Young Mems Christian Associ. |
alton. or some one OF the church bodies, as |
a religious monument.
On the other hand, while the money value |
OF this Bible is measured by thousands OF |
pounds, there are thousands Of Bibles and |
books published within fifty years after it |
which can be bought for a few dollars or a |
few shilings each. The business OF buying |
aud selling old books is in Europe a thor
oughiy systematlzed commercial business Of |
great magnitude. Some OF the gentlemen |
engaged 10 it are scholars whose biblio-
z aphic information is respected everywhere. |
Monthly catalogues OF old books gathered |
e., al NIT ri |