New-York tribune., 1891-03-05
BRAyTOy ITES'S RARE BOOKS.
CHANCES AT A FEW OF THE TREASURES OF HIS
COLLECTION.


sonsation two months ago. which upset all their
contemplated onsaughts upon tho European mar
kets The cause Of this excitement WIS Wv.
announcement that in March Brayton ives "ou''
sell his collection Of books ana manuscripts
When however, the little world Of book-lovers had re-
covered its equanmity, it recognized the adNdaso VI
having an American market that would for the luture
furnish I'm America some basis Of the value OF tho'e
books which. in former years, 1t had Deeh u'i'o"
abroad to procure. The standard for Americana aloic
has been determined by the Murphy, Mehzics' brieS
and Barlow sales, but there Is no American preCc"on
OF importance for volumes OF international interest III
other lines. II is rumored, however, that AWerlc"
will not bo allowed to place her own value upon inc
collection but will have personal assistance RON of
egn collectors.
Various reasons for Mr. Ives's action in dlspoSlnS
OF his collection have been assigned to @ Dut d. c
has steadily refused To authorize a statement 'lc'o
copiectures have no value. In making this coiec-
ton Mr.. Ives to have been governed Hiore pS
the desire to collect diversity Of rare and precious
things among books than to complete any one ii Vi
them The first editions OF the early printed BOOKS Oh
which the Gutenberg Bible and the Cahoic0n OF BaiDs
are the most important; the first printed ediloh' vi
the classics represented by CicGo, Horace Homcr
Virgil and many Others Of the English dIamatlsu'
among which the first four foos six of the quarto'
and the rarc Venus and Adonis7 Of Shakespeare, with
the original editions Of Of Ben JonsonS pays arc
the most valuable, and the trst eIltlons oi te cary
Americana are with few exceptions, represented 10y
the best and allct copies Of each author Iher are
also books OF hours, and manuscripts, OF themselves
worth visit to the collection, and the Illustrated
French books Of the eighteenth century, so audcd oS
! Cohen, Portals and the GoncOurs.
In clancinG over this catalogue is surprised to
ind that so great proportion Of the volumes are rare
and ones admiration is lnvOuntariy incited FOR the
man who possessing large an income. yet exercised
| 50 discriminating a taste In the mHlutuuinou'
! choice OF books which offered him. 10 inc
uninitiated It must herculean task for
a business man in hi, leisure moments to collect
within twenty years striking a collection Of prizes
| but II should be remembered that the moment man
puts himself on record as collector with extensive
means and ambitions desires the book dealers OF tho
entire world naturally proicr him their choicest gems
Mr. Ives has had labor under the disadvantage OF
depending in many upon his theoretical kno"I-
cde OF tho statements of the vcuder, and has not had
the advantage Of inspection and collation. Of other
| comics and the comparison Of them with his own
To a certain extent the copies offered him are famous
and have been enthusiastically described by blbH'S
r,phcr, but Mr. Ives catalocucr seems TO have Tor
gotten In some that in describing books Tor saI'
by auction the lmpcrfcCtiou. worthy II mention
a, the Qualities OF excellence are deserving OF pane
| gyrc.
In the exhibition al tie American Art GALLERIES, ~
in the catalogue the Gutenberg, or Mlzann Bible, a.
II Is sometimes called. from the fat that the Hrst copy
! was found and evidence given of 1t IN tie Ma]arIh
Library holds the place Of honor-ito two ioAo volumes
| being lncOscd by thcmsclvc~ within glass 'b''' IL
hc ccutr. of the min exhibition room Upstairs ana
dour r,,o.lnc I'm nat showcases or shelves on The
wall. are French. English. Latin and Greek "uthor-
| in exquisite bindings. Ip-talr, IA a room bf them
selvc, are the rare manuscripts and books o! hou'
/ IN the main gallery can be- found the muchd-cnssed
spanish edition Of the letter Of Columbus To LS d'
SAINT Angel the Latin editions Of h!s letter 10 Gabriel
,H. vlsH Of Il
while 10 the other Major accorls preference. There
arc ALL. the VOYAGES Of Clamplan. De Ery and Nespu
Gins which contain the earliest historical rccorus oi
the scoveric and explorations oi the various paris o
| America and therefore have a literary aS well ~
bibliographcal value. Mr.. Ives chose ana acqulfed
these volumes against all competition at tho three moss
| lmp0rtant sales held In America, the henzies' bnnhS
| ,d parIow sales In collecting there Is quality
:, valuable a. patience. No supposed that when
Mr. Ives carried oil these prizes over all coneF' III ~
shor, a time they would again be on the market IN
fact among dealers. when would inquire concerning
the chances Of acquiring particularly unataiaab!o
| volume the usual reply wa,: hen Bri}t"h Ives
.olls his books while the inquirer realizing the ap
parcnt hopclcssucSs of such thn- happening silently
sole awav And yet the impossible has como To pass
| The Ienox Library. the Boston Library hF. f"ic' VT
| Hoe and Mr.. sabin VII have ~ opportunity 70
battle again for the Volumes "IH'i "i'' '''"i ''
" - m ~ ' ror,,rIablo that Mr. Iv,S with all the oppor
,roIils afforded him. did not among M uth'r rdrlr
mss, a COPY Of the on lind editions ot ~" frotu
| t." Possibly b. did not consider II 0i rupu-" liH
,.r.ancc Bat The recent sal" u copy with b'ur-'
| n,-rinytou's autograph to Mr. Hearst for fl."uD,
makes il appear that other collectors dp not tt.c t'i,
| yiDv There l., uur rather curious book. "i li'ir-t
| IA collectors II Eihcais. No. lOo3, "th1mpn'u
v,hch is remarkable fIr crit ci-m "n tnc fNrun'r-
! .. Iatlu that Radicals has copied literally IN M'
i,ut.rcl II also contains some 'url'u~ d'til- up"l
,l. itor, of III. Hebrew. Greek and LATIN alphabet,
nf which he offers the models that have not varied
since 49, 49,, i...-. .,.,,.,
| So, the least not worthy object of interest about
| j. ~.
| Alexander Dcnhhm and Gc'r1c J.. Files. IL was PiftN
coupilcd f0r Mr.. I've, before he Intended TO dispose
| ~ M, collection Unfortunately, Mr. Ives does MOI
| apncar 10 have since corrected This cltbprt" Nogh'
| Which remains a hhu0Praphy, IN thai ~ mihui"F
describes the edition. but not, IN many cases the par
| ticular copy of that edition.
Iut N. the fault, Of the catalogue few or many. cA'l
| hook Of Mr. Ives's collection Ia, IDENTITY ot is
own which will preserve for ycare 10 come" when both
rs carplnc critic and the enthusiastic pthcHH isl arc
L., ,ID rINn