New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-03
4 FRlNKLIy COLLECTIOX.

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,xrrprsrrxc IMpRINTs SOLD IN PHILADELPHIA.
A remarkably interesting collection OF the, in-
trlrts Of BENJAMIN Franklin were dspoSod OF un'eF
the hammer Of the auctionecr In Philadelphia last
week at the SAFE OF the large and valuable library
OF scarce Americana belonging 10 Mr.. Po'ocS,
bookseller Of the old school. yho for six,y-h's
years has been carrying on the o.d-ooos business
in Philadelphia Pollock who had az obscure pace
on Minor-st In an o,d-fashioned section OF the
city now Almost entirely devoted TO whoiesa.s
business took bibiophe's Interest in DOCKS ana
seemed more anxious to collect and Keep his treas
ures than TO sell them. even at good price. For
weeks at a time frequently. re did not MAKE a SAFE
az the prices he asked Of the few customers VINO
dropped into his place were 50 much beyond ther
value as to be prohlbtory of their sale. even to
the most reckless and extravagant collectors.
Mr. Pollock possessed remarkably good taste and
Judgment in the seecticn Of his stock; ne never
cared to own commonplace books. but sought after
and maid good prices for rarities in all branches OF
American history Another Of his peculafices was
an avoidance Of duplication In his STOCK ana TIE
catalogue Of the books he gathered therefore,, pre-
sents q wide variety OF subjects. WIN scarcely Two
books in the whole number alike. There IL really
only one special department, an extraordinary co.,
Iocton Of Franklin imprints, which IL undoubtedly
the largest collection Of the productions OF FRANK
Inns press that has been sold at one time e.
cept the collection which was disposed OF III us
BrInley sale; and an opportunity 10 acquire lns
rare treasures from Frsnklns press. sucn az that
which was presented to collectors last week. ~ nj
| likely 10 occur again. The majority OF the volune
sold possess a double interest and va.ue from ~
fact that they were washed-out copies or HAND
somely bound, but just in the condition IN "nio
Pollock got them. many being uncut
There were all told. some fifty odd books In this
collection. and in dates they covered a wide period
OF Franklin's energy as a printer. Some bear the
| imprint OF b. Franklin and ID. Hall. number Of
| which were struck off while the philosopher eas
abroad attending to the affairs OF the Nation but
the majority have their title page the one nams
az printer and publisher Of B. Franklin Thess
| books are of course, OF much greater value thaa
| those bearing the Franklin and Hall imprint Hall
was simply practical printer, willing 10 take any
fob brought into the office which promised pfont;
consequently many Of the books bearing the name
OF Franklin and Hall are. far as the subject
matter is concerned OF no interest whatever Many
contain the rantngs of some obscure schismatc IN
the religious world Of the last century. Franklin
was very different from his partner In the choce
Of the work to which he fixed his Individual I'M
print and almost all the books bearing the imprint
of b. Franklin possess. apart from the imprint
some literary and historic value.
Many OF these books are, OF course, purely local
in their interest but they all show that Franklin
was as good an editor and publisher as he was 4
printer. A copy Of probably the most celebrated OF
all Frank,in's imprnts. and production OF which
the good Doctor was undoubtedly prouder OF IMAM
any other Of his publications, is Ciceros Cato
Major" and his "Discourses Old Age" printed
and sold by B. Franklin, MDCCXLIV. This brought
$50 not an exorbtan price for the book, but fair
one. One hundred and twenty dollars was PAID Tor
The Constitution of Freemasonry containing the
history, charges regulations, etc. OF that most an
Client and right worshipful fraternity. for the use
Of the lodges, London printed Ammo 512 reprinted IN
Philadelphia by special order for the use Of the
brethren in North America. In the year Of mason
~, 5734, Ammo Domni 1884" This volume Is undoub-
eddy OF the of Franklins imprints II was
the first book Masonry published in America.
and consequently of the greatest interest to all
those attached to the Masonic fraternity.
Plain Truths and Serious Considerations on tho
Present State OF City OF Philadelphia. and Province
Of Pennsylvania. for tradesmen of Philadelphia"
with a large woodcut reverse OF title, printed In
the year MDCCXLVIl. brought s2S This little
pamphlet was written and printed by Benjamin
Franklin. the good Doctors purpose in publishing
1t being to induce the inhabitants Of Pennsylvania
and New-York to prepare some mode OF defence
against the invasons of this State by the French
and Indians Another OF the productions of Frank:
Youth in Pennsylvania" Philadelphia printed ia
the year MDCCXI.IX, only three pages in extent
ediy Exceedingly scarce 1t is written in Frankiins
characteristics and caustic sty;e and contains muen
One Of the few rare Franklin imprnts, on whica
ss n psT hs Rsry On an Is
printed MDCCXLI, and brought SIS "Recolec.
tons of Courtship and Marriage IN Two letters 70
obtaining and securing contggs! felicity G printea
for $50 The authorship OF this book DR.. Benjamin
Rush attributes to Franklin himself II Is an es
after by collectors. probably unique pamphlet,
at least one Of the rarest of all Franklin imprlnts
Ia entitled :" Dialogue between two Countrymen
who met at Brunswick. one an inhabtant OF Long
Island. the other liver at Gloucester; The name
Of the first was Jonathan Pain. and the otner
Obadiah Wright" The pamphlet was printed BY
BENJAMIN Franklin In l7i3. and brought Sis; 4 copy
Of Poor Richards Almanac for 49, printed by
Franklin and Hall. brought s2s. rather low price
for this now exceedingly scarce little imprint, N.
House Of Assembly Of the Colony Of New-Jersey.
met In General Assembly at Burlington. saturday,
October sth. l742, printed by Benjamin franklin n
the year MDcCXLI1I brought ssS This book Is o.
the utmost rarity, and the copy sold was In re-
markably clean condition. The type OF this i'm:
print resembled that of the famous cato Major'
About 1900 was realized from this sale.