, 1888-01-04
A HIGH PRICED VOLUME.
How Edwin Forrest Secured n Copy of
the 1923 Edition OF shakespeare.

How Edwin Forrest Secured "A Copy of
the 1898 Edition OF Shakespeare.
"a notice which l saw the other day,
that Messrs. Funk & Wagnalls are about
publishing a fac simile edition of the 1928
folio edition of Shakespeare, reminds me
Of how Edwin Forrest bought his 1923
copy Of Shakespeare, " said n Philadelphia
gentleman at the Hoffman house one
evening. II was connected with the auc-
ton house of NJ. Thomas Sc Sons, in Phil
adelphia, for n number of years, and For
rest used 10 come in the store a great deal
and patronize the book sales. He seldom
did any bidding himself, but used to tell
Mr.. Jennings, of the firm, and a life long
friend of the actors, to buy certain books
for him. He never left any limit to his
bids, but always said simply buy them
IL the auctioneer thought q book was
bringing much more than its value, and
in Mr.. Forests interests let it go, the big
actor would storm and rave the next time
he came in, and declare that he would
never buy another book in the place IL his
orders We're not carried out to the letter.
but what l started to tell you was
about the famous old 1923 edition of
Shakespeare. You know there are only
n few copies in the world, and they are
of great value, of course. Well, we had
II copy for sale one day, and 1t was so well
advertised, not only in this country, but
elsewhere, that agents from libraries in
England and other countries crossed the
ocean to buy it. The day before the sale
Forrest walked into the store and said to
Mr.. jennings:
| want that Shakespeare. Buy it.
How high will you got' asked Mr..
Jennings.
How high' don't know and 1 don't
care. Buy it. l want it,
'"rhen Forrest stalked out without say
ing another word. The next day, when
the big folio was put up for sale, there
was some lively bidding. The starting
price was 800 by an Englishman, and it
was not long before it reached 500.
Seven hundred and G{ty dollarsr' at
last shouted the Englishman who had
started the book ut 800.
And 800 | have already said the
nuctioneer, with n smile.
"'Who did you get the bid from' 1
don't see any one else bidding now,' said
the Englishman.
"'A gentleman left the bid with me-
"'NNho was ity'
"'Ncd Forrest
"'That settles it,, said the bidder. If
Forrest ant that book there is no use
bidding against him. He'd give $50, 900
for it rather than not get it. Pm through
bidding
The auctioneer tried to get another
bid, bu without success, and at last his
hammer fell and the Shakespeare belonged
to Forrest. The actor was delighted the
next day with his prize. He took it to
his mansion on North Broad street and
had n glasscase made for it. 1t was placed
in this case open at the title page and no
one was allowed to touch it. Forrest had
IA fac-simile copy which he read. He gave
orders that IL ever his house should get
or 1trc the 1923 Shakespeare was to be
the first thing saved, He had n magni6-
cent S"hakcspearean library, but the big
folio he considered was worth more han
all the rest put together. a curious
thing happened after Forrest died. A
defective hue caused n little fire in his
library, and about the only thing of value
that wns burned was that very 1923 edi-
ton that he priced so highly. New
York Evening Sun.