The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-24
JOYS THAT ARE PEACEFUL.
BooKWORMs' HOBBIk2
The ErJoyaeHts OF eearchsng for OlA Hrants
and Portraits for nIustratlns.

ground hoor OF the Astor House 10 one OF the
chosen haunts Of enthusiastic bookworms.
Thousands of men and women sweep past the
place at nightfall bound for the North River
ferries. and II Is at that hour. when the human
tide outdoors is at It's flood. that the book
worms gather to burrow undisturbed amid The
great mounds OF hooks that are massed on
shelves rnd heared on tables. Passers-by.
peepDg In. can see these modern antiQuAries
lighted by the glow Of gas burners, with their
noses buried In some well.thumbed tome. The
proprietor. a German Am rican. as quaint in
appearance as the old book store. moves about
slowly. with an old fashioned broad-brimmed
beaver Tile on his head, putting contentedly al
the butt Of fat cigar, and singing snatches Of
song now and then us no picks outIitSrsry
gems for the bookworms He Is The boss book.
worm Of the intellectual company.
In all the mass OF lore stored In tho crowded
place nothing is more remarkable than the
collection of old prints and portraits in . long
row Of portfolios on the long counter In the
centre of the store. Tho portfolios are homo.
made Affairs. consisting of the battered bind.
nss Of old books whose contents were lit
orally worn out by constant handling. The
covers contain now thousands and thousands
OF en..n"in.s OF every description interest,"
ing to book lovers. because the collection 10
kept for tho nee nm odation OF the curious
sicCleS Vi lnS Do,k CHUNKS OF tn0 metrOOOu0
who are called book illustrators. The jolly
bookworn who owns the collection spent
noarlv twenty years in luttinG 1t together. and
now it CONTAINS material for illustrating nearly
| everything under the sun.
Book illustrating" lie said. rs fascinst.
Ing form vi the love for book 9. and the indul.
genes OF it affords delightful employment for
the leisure moments Of any genuine book
lover BY book illustrating we bookworms
moan search in literary hooks and corners
and by ways for old prints that may sppro.
priately embellsh the letter press Of any par.
ticular volume we happen to gain possession
Of 1t differs from regular illustrating By
artists employed to furnish illustrations to the
book publisher 1t is unique and original in
every instance and what is better still. IL Il 90
employment Of leisure that is profitable In.
trated can also DO sold at q high RSars 4 %,
work has teen done eonseysGntiou.ty and;Yit
aen the the text print
Who removes tile % orisinaI Binding. I pu!
the collected engavings and prints l
their nronec y ace between the leaves. and r.
binds the work. It is then a priced treasur.
~ WHsre locks are to be iilustrated 10 Il.
way with engrarngs only the correct metho
20 s "sss a The
pert kind. These proofs represent the thr.
diff: Ont stages OF the ,engravers plate. t.
third Ii" "nii';eisi iIut.. "'''"' WI ""0
The h,'oks generaIIy selected for such
medicine. Local histories are perhaps d.
more frenueuty selected. and to accompli.
ss sne% U de
OF money. The money spent. however. is ju,
sat GOD as dpdst were e III. nS snt Il ti re-
drawing interest In the steady enhsncii
value 8, the volumes as the work rrogressc
ing now ~ lroSress is the illustration Of a hi
tory Of rhiladephia BY the editor Of the
before attempted on 50 large a scale. and VIII,
completes n. work will he the only one off,
Find in existence. It GOULD not be replaced
antique enssavi ts ~ p p"mewhat p siSil
81 Y,S W. H. nsItrstns Of PEP
dwned bia"kWs lsad, Ghariss 4 Mesur,
o,ff this city and Mr., De Forest are famous boz
$3.50 f"r the mining, Of two volumes that,
| illustrated with trplicat. engravings. Nw..
ny :" the In his
,na and il; ~ cnsrs sS Illustrative
a and " " a"sis FRS piis is 'pertlnsn
in "s ;5T"nS .yMSHGs yA Fs Of
W"rk TIT m ,hs IT. p ra%ntins carried
pie,a set waS firm ls4f to 1870. omitti
set s @ si 'Rga NOW was @crt nsS%he
firm ' I" ,S SlW , and drt they are i ifiea!t
| through, n. ia,ves of t1ts.xork. and studyii,
its many in,ts.tion1n hlscs and II eol9,
Q: this work broke the heart Of dear old VsleI
t tnw knIM him ws He ,oys rhsr~
| The bu'kw"m ynnkcd a. large. ,pasteboar
box lr"m = l'Hyer shell and set It upon =
out the intsrs;t yisldsd BY studying ssasmiSds
s s Try it ,.r yourseIf BOOK lovers have sDel
Perhaps tvs o. three thousand prints sp
encravii:g- were piled in the box, done upi
fed. Ii wa. vast miscellany Of pictures
GA timrs' iner, Wife illustdrafions OF o.
Are engines. and views innumerabie. ri
s sssu soT P;s StPssna #b9ss.
Nth New D YSfs rdot re-; aotsa hoT
Smith, %s$ ssh ffGH' iSas,nfsf'
smasr S% u"ss e ws susered
wall In front 81 tho houses is a pond with
hnr rHnf hs a, "ya Was Iae series
hsoaid ,Ss W. !" !s E X, s s,S;iiS,
n ~, rrr'r,ter Owed il ha,phazaId I'll
lluls, anu HN,leu NV eye wow VI
Harlem, lane. the site 81 the present crowd,
view e Inc lane from the cid fort il Cent,
the. stretch OF greer, fields Sand. and fsrn
IpentS anh swell homes. A map o. Ne
u sperk of black crowded away down In &
corner uf Zig stretch OF spArsely settl,
country. rewarded the iourth din into the gr,'
bH. ol historic irsasure. Thus for an ho,,
and more ihs hapiinzard and ontertatnin
pastime went On. Sumrihng new and int
rstinR and iu!l ~ "reminiscences VI early do,
WAS revealed -v"ry othe" minute. There we
pictures ri Union square rs vacant lotA A.
colored lHloian,as Of tIs city In rebelt'
days. a collection that must have posseDs,
rare interest Tor the G,thamite old enough
recall th ,Se times aud scenes. as the book
worm did
collective these old prints" he safd. "i,
hobby with I'D New Workers. who rank % re..
book lowers. but the iiagest demand have .
for portraits. have 40 O Of heSe In this TIT
shop. for "sa in illustrating. Orders come
from everywhere for certain portraits. f.,
example Am keeping a sharp lookout nc
Tor pnriratts of ancient astronomers Tor l.
collection Oi a young Brooklyn star-gszc
whose collection. when completed. will exc
anything nj tho kind In tho world Portra,
are also us"l to illustrate dramatic worl
There IL u demHnd also for pictures OF bir'
These make Ina ndaoma collection always, |,
they are almost invariably finished in colo.
ana are excellent examples of engraving
Where do you get all these things ~
Pick them up everywhere. ! cut many =