, 1885-01-29
BoOK-CoLLECToRs
a REPORTERS NOTES FROM a Ut
ERARY JUNK-sHoP."


New York Mall and Express.l
Tho rEge Just now among book
collectors" said the proprietor OF the
Literary Junk-Shop," Il for copies Of
tho carly American editions Of standard
authors. Next In order Is n .great damaad
for historical books md pamphlets in rela-
ton to New York city. OF pamphlets alone,
the most salable and grsat6st in demand by
collectors ara those pertaining to slavery.
A great interest Is shown in everything
touching on the rebellion also, while pam
phlets containing anything in relation to tho
early history OF the Mormons are largely
sought after.
II learned a curious fact in relation to the
Mormons,H added the proprietor afrom a gem
tleman who called here the other day. He
be had Just returned from the west, and
stated that while there he had been shown
the original manuscript of the Mormon
Bible, which sigularly enough was not in
the possession Of the Mormonz 1t Is owned
by an old westernor, who lives near the
place where the Mormons first settled How
hs came in possession Of 1t Is not known
He will not sell It for less h 10000, and
this sum the Mormons win not give for It, so
the gentle still holds the precious docu-
mont"
aYou must have some curious customers
IN IQul 1o1Anu1o Az AuRoA -
swell, you would say so were you to SEQ
some OF them, or read some Of the lsttors
that 1 receive. Only yesterday one Of my
oldest customers was hero. He Is an old
gentleman Of this city, and Is a collector Of
advertising calendars. He boasts Of having
the largest collection In the world, the
number reaching into the thousands An
other odd ono Is a lame old man with white
hair, who is a veritable antiquarian in APP
psarnncs as well as In ideas He is a col
lector Of published articles and resolutions
on the subject OF President Garield's death
When he began his collection he sent a
printed postal card to every postmaster In
the country, requesting that all publications
or resolutions on the subject be sent to him
at his expense. found kim one publication
that pleased him greatly. 1t was a resolu-
ton passed on board a steamship, only a
few copies OF which had been printed on a
hand-press while the vessel was on her
voyage.
HHow many of these special collectors have
you on your listf'
Between 200 and 300. They are scattered
all over the country, and are q curious set
For instance their Is a man in iceland who
for the past four yeers has been collecting
everything he could find relating to Ameri-
can history. In Oregon there is one gather
ing everything written by Balzac. the
younger, and a Dakota resident wants every
thing In print about Orange county. New
York. In Denver, there is one who is collectIng
early American Biographies, and I know OF
a collector Of grammars, over 30 years Of
age. who has between 5000 and 1900 OF
them A prominent man in the pension de-
partment wants everything published about
the rebellion; a Texas man wants all he can
get about his state, another man wants
everything relating to colleges, and my
latest Customer Is one who wants everything
published pertaining to the New York police
force.
"A curious instance Of how n man gets
into the way Of becoming a book-collector
was that Of a resident in Boston, who started
a series of copy-books, but was sued by the
originator Of the Spencerian system Of such
books. In order to make a good defense
and show that the managers Of the Spen-
cerian systom did not ave a prior right. he
began the collection OF copper plates, copy
books, and everything that could help his
case. which he finally won He was be-
tween three and four years at this work,
and now he is a most enthusiastic collector
Of copy-books Of all descriptions.
"One Of tho most Interested literary col
lectors is a gentleman Of this city, who for
several years has been collecting everything
he could obtain relative to Ha~thorne n
his writings Scarcely "a review article or
note on his f~avorite, In monthly, weekly, or
daily, here or abroad, escapes him He is
preparing a photography Of Hawthorne,
which will give the page and volume OF
everything published about Hawthorne,
either In this country or Abroad