Birmingham age-herald., 1894-07-04

collector there before them they leave the shop rather than run any risk of letting a rival know what they are after.
 Sometimes the fads of collectors take on quaint or grotesque shapes. MT. Eugene Field, after having followed for many years normal and natural career as collector of first editions of the poets, has suddenly abandoned it and devoted himself to the collection of inkstands which have been used by. famous writers. He has begun with the living ones whom he knows, and no literary home in America is now secure from his efforts.
 Of all the book collectors with whom am acquainted, Mir. Thomas J. Me Kee, of New York, is perhaps the most persistent and indefatigable. He has collected books, prints, autographs and playbills connected with the stage for tArty years or more. Another special tv of his is the collecting of first edi- tions of American and English poets. It is safe to say that no one can write about the American stage without con- sultinq MT. McKee's collection. Al. most every article and book written on the subject is prepared with his assist, ance and Illustrated from prints in his possession. He is an extremely quiet man and little is known of him outside of his own circle, but as soon as one be- 1 pins to investigate any dramatic ques- k, fion he is invariably referred to Mr.. I Mckee by some knowing friend, and l finds in the formers collection all that he needs for his purpose. |. Il. ET,n1 American collectors is the gathering of | sets of the "annuals," so called, which appear in such numbers, both here and in England during the second quarter of the century. The idea for these pub lications was originally taken from tho almanacs published in Germany and France each year, in which, along with the ordinary calenders and astronomi- cal tables, selected or original-eSrE- tributions from -distii1g uished authors | were printed. In this way Schiller's "History of the Thirty Years War" was printed piecemeal in a German al- l manac.
 | English publishers took up the idea about 1920. The annual gift books first published in England were mostly of a juvenile character. The earliest "annual" for adult readers was, az far as can discover, "The Literary Sou venir, or Cabinet of Poetry and Ro- mance," edited by Alaric A. Watts, the first volume of which was pub lished by Longmans, Green & Co.,, in 1895. It contained original contri- buttons in prose and verse by leading English authors and was illus trated by steel engravings from paintings by members of the Roy al academy. ''The Literary Sou venir' was a success and the annual volumes appeared for a number of years. Editions were imported to America, where Thomas Wardle, of Philadelphia, became the publisher.
 The "Souvenirs'" success naturally started crop of rival "annuals." " ''The Janus" appeared at Edinburg in 1926, and in 1928 ''The Bijou" was pub lished at London under the editorship of William Pickering the publisher Barry Cornwall, James Montgomery, Mrs Hemans, James Hogg, IT. B. L.,' and others were contributors to the early volumes of the "Bijou," which was the most serious rival of the "Souveuir."
 Other English annuals which were started at this time were ''The Anni- versary," edited by Allan Cunningham, "The Iris," edited by Rev. Thomas Dale; "The Winters Wreath" "The Gem" and "The Keepsake" The most careful attention was paid to preparing the illustrations for these volumes, which were usually steel engravings from paintings or designs by leading British artists. A great impulse was thus given to the art of steel eng"e v- Ing and many e 7lleotors buy these book for the plates only.
 These English a. ,nuals always oou tained prefaces cal ing attention to ths AsA.Scuce of the artinnlar volum,: .jr