Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-05-31
BREEzEs FROM THE By.
State University Library Building-The
Book Exhibition Description of the
Curiosities Seen in Printers Art.

Book Exhibition DESCRIPTION of the
Curiosities Seen in Printers Art.
San FRANCISCO, May %, 1884.
This is commencement week at the Uni
versity and, besides drawing the friends of
the students and of academic pursuits to
Berkeley, draws also this year a numerous
clientage of bookish and curious people to
study the book loan exhibition. on view
since Monday in the Bacon Library Build
ing. This building erected b. the COM
bired liberality of Henry D. Bacon and
the State, while it has OH the outside the
look that every construction i'll Berkeley
has-of being that day released from seat
folding and the hands of workmen-has a
well-furnished look within. Twenty-six
bookcases, with their ends toward YOU,
radiate in a Semi-circle round half the ro-
tunda of the main hall, making the walls
of alcoyes, where one could SIT buried
reading all day without fear of discovery
or interruption. chs IS the college library
THE BOOK EXHIBITION.
A temporary part OF the above institu-
ton consists of a number of glass show
cases, supported horizontally upon trcstles,
and containing choice specimens of book
binding, curious manuscripts, Examinations
and palm-leaf volumes i'll the main hall ;
fitteenth-century books, the earliest printed
in movable type; Latin works in gothic
character, bound in pigskin and stayed
with great brass knobs: German books A.,
Bibles: a Code of Justinian. where the
code appears printed in a little square of
two columns in Il middle of large page
set in a frame of copious commentary. also
printed. There are specimens of Chinese
and japanese comic illustrated news
paper; there are Hebrew books. ancient
and modern; genuine Aldines and Elze-
virs books SO tiny that it blinded the men
that set up the type; an eSthetic book of
poems, by Rennell Rodd Oscar Wildc'S
disciple; book printed in brown ink and
interviewed with green tissue paper There
is original, genuine page of Addison's
Spectator" dated Thursday, August O.
I'LL, and, framed also, the original Ms. of
Bret Harte'S Heather Chinee.'
THERE is COLOR PRINTING
OF fruit and landscapes so exquisite that,
except under minute examination. it
seems like water-color painting. There is
| a reprint of Mering's Roman De La
Rose, and Photograph reproductions of
| the blacl5@etter (Frenchl poems of the
ninth and tenth centuries, quite undeci-
| pherable by layfnan. This last IS part
of the library Of Mr. Phoebe, which, with
his pictures became the property of the
| University at his death. There are first
copies of the earliest newspapers started in
California. One learns things by (lligent
| inquiry of the patient and Instructed Ii
| brarian, Mr. J. c. Lowell, to whom, with
Professor Albert S Cook, of the chair of
English Literature. We are principally in
debted for this scholarly exhibit One
learns that
coLoPHoS MEANS THE PRINTERS MARK
At the end Of book by which the collector
knows it is the genuine production of Ger
tain press and that fifteenth century books
are called incunabula, because incunabu-
lUm means a cradle, and they are in fact
the cradles of printing. All the collectors
and 'liophiies of the city have generously
contributed their very choicest treasures.
Mr.. Jarboe, Mr.. Harrison, Nh Rearden,
Mr.. Cohen, the J. 3. FELTON, library. all
have parted with their brightest ornaments
for the loan exhibition with unparalleled
generosity, for owners of precious things
know the immense risks their dear cUrios
run, out of their own libraries, and the re-
suit has been wonderfully instructive and
interesting display, of nature rarely seen
in any city. PHILIP SHIRLEY