New-York tribune., 1885-01-16

Oh. put it in at $780," and Mr. Hodge called oue
that sum. Then another pause. then an adVanco VI
f1O, and so on up to ESQ, at whieh IL was
knocked down to Mr. B. +. Stevens, acting ior
some unnamed American sprincipal. MT. Qunr'on
made no bid after no had mentioned the sum al
which he thought the book ought TO DO star'eo; |;
sum large enough, in any case. to protect his own
copies. / can only express my opinion that 'no
price is enormously in excess OF the real vaiue vi
the volume and my regret that copy SO Imperfect
shOuld go to America
What happened in the case OF the Shakespeare
bonnened scores of times in less conspicuous in
stances. Books that is. which were cataiogueu as
perfect or with one or two specified faults, were
found on examination by Others tban the cata-
opuer 10 be SO defective that they had to be sold not
subect to return for what they would fetch. Ihis
is all very we'll for buyers actually present III the
room. But what about buyers abroad who had sent
commissions on the faith of the catalogue descrip
tionl
There are cases for which more carelessness viii
hardly account. Title No. 2,OO3 is as foilows'
italics as in catalogue "Vall@ Ill., Eleganti@ et
de Reciprccatone sui ct Suns Libellus. mith heFe'
pasted on tile Relic par Paieloup le Jeune Z lace
Sorbonne Paris" brOun morocco erfra g'n cages
,ritt anchor in gold on rides. Small 4fo. 'enefns'
AHus. 1867 Could anybody doubt that this was
said to be pasted on title No doubt it was once
so bound and the ticket Is still there, but the book
has been rebound by Storr. of Granham. and that
trihing fact the catalogue suppresses. though the
book has no interest except from the supposl'ion
| that Padeloup was the binder of it.
Much praise has been bestowed on this catalogue
and on its compiler. The Times reporter calls 1t
admirable. and a fit supplement to Brunet ana
Loundes A man who could bracket Brunct and
ALoundes the most accurate and the least accurate
T of photographers, gives rs n convenient measure
of his own. Ok-knowledge. The truth about
Messrs Sotheby and WilkinsOns catalogue IL
sufficiently indicated in what have written lts
descriptions are not to be trusted. and 1t Is lar
behind the requirements OF photography IN It's
present state.
1t is. however, to be said again that photography
has never been exact science in England.
Under present Influences it is becoming not more but
less exact No better proof of its decadence conld
be asked than the fact that these SystOn books in
their present wretched condition were competed
for 80 eagerly, and sold for these vast sums.
Probably Mr. Quaritch has done as much as any
body to spread abroad notion that the good or bad
condition of book matters little. must refer you
to his catalogues and to the history of his dealings
tor illustrations; of which, / may add. have
| before now given enough. book with him Is an
| article OF merchandise 10 be b0ugnt as cheap anu
| sold Ms dear as circumstances permit. lie has
| acquired much notoriety'by dnt of buying largely
! whatever comes into the market. He lately told
reporter that his purchases at the Sunderand'salc
| amounted to f330o0. and at the liamilton-Bec
ford sales to 100000. Most of these books, be
added, remain on his shelves; which seems an odd
testimony to his business sagacity On the strength
of these exploits his interviewer" 6hbs him the
Bismarck of booksellers. The ALTERATION is easy,
but another could 5e found not less easily. 1t
would be more accurate 10 describe Nlr. Quartch as
the Brougham of booksellers. He possesses IN
respect to books that vast and various msinfor-
nation and that sloyenly omnscence which
Broughan possessed in respect TO SO many other
subjects Mr. Quartch told this sam" reporter that of
five copies of the Mazarm or Gutenberg Bible
known. three had passed through his han1s. But
to Brunei twenty-seven copies were known seven
on vellum and twenty on paper Ii IS difficult to
suppose Mr.. Quaritch to be quite So ignorant as he
seems of the history of q book for poor copy OF
which he has just paid $500. and which he
wishes to sell again. But no is entitled to the
benefit of the doubt. AS dealer he is entitled to
conduct his business as he likes. But when his
influence on photography is in question: II is matter
of some public interest TO know whether it is bad
or good and do not call the influence Of that man
good who Las done something to diminish or dis
courage an exact knowledge of books, and much to
increase their price. @. W. :.