The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-11-07
Collectors of Literary Antiques Grew
ing More Numerous.

of the country. An auCtioneer recently
said: 81 send my catalogues to twenty
seven States. 1t may seem strange but
some of the most enthusiastic and long
pursed-and money is very necessary
collectors live in the far West and buy
eagerly through authorized agents. 1t
hassbeen repeatedly raid, and it comes
pretty close to being the truth, that the
collectors of Chicago are adding more
gems to their libraries yearly than those
of any other of our large cities.
The auction rooms IL Boston, Phila-
delphia, and this city have con, for
SCORE of years, the means of supplying to
a large degree this demand for biblio-
graphical treasures. The auction rooms
are not sufficient now to meet this de-
mand, but remain, nevertheless. the
most important factor In American
book collecting. A glance at some of the
really important collections that will be
dispersed in the three cities mentioned
before tho holidays will be Of interest to
book buyers.
NOTABLE AUTUMN SALES.
Two notable sales will take place at
this city before New Years. The first
will be the extensive and valuable COL
lection of the late William r. Williams
and " i'll take place about the middle of
October. The collection made by Mr..
Williams exceeds 20. QUO volumes and is
Iad MI Of an fha
country relative to Baptist and Anabap
tist history. There 10 a unique collection
on the Jansenists of France of great
value. Besides rare collections relating
to the Puritan period there are many
works on ecolesiasti cal history. theology.
philosophy. with a number of rare and
autographic copies and scarce religious
and political tracts.
Perhaps the most important sale Of the
season, the date of which is not yet an
nounced, will be the library of the late
Henry F. Sewall Of this city. For
many years Mr.. Sewall was widely
known as a persevering, enthusiastic,
and Intelligent collector. The library
which he brought together is largo,
varied, and valuable collection covering
a wide range of topics and a long time
in the history and practice of the ait of
printing. The department. Of old Eng
lish literature is probably the most ex-
tensivs and most interesting, com prising
first and early editions OF many famous
writer's, among whom may be mentioned
John Cover. Edmund Spenser. John
Harrington, Thomas Haywood, Robert
Howard, King James tho First, Ben
Jonson, Robert Lovelaoe John Suck
ton, George Chapman. William Davenant
John Milton, Philip Massinger, Edmund
Waller, Izaak Walton. OF Shakespeare
the library contains the first four folios
and several separate plays.
VALUABLE CHURCH LITERATURE.
There are many editions of the Holy
Bible, the New Testament the Psalter,
also illuminated Missals, Books of Hours,
and printing on vellum by Hardouy n
and others; also examples from the press
as of Aldus, the Elzevirs. Wynkyn de
Worde. Pynson, and other early masters
of tho noble art.
Z The searcher will find treasures of old
historical tracts, almanacs, both British
and American, and although the colleo-
ton consists in greater part of general
lierature there are goodly number of
scarce works to attract the buyers of
Americana. There are choice works of
photography, few extra illustrated VOL
umes; specimens Of fine binding and
other entertaining items more than may
hers be mentioned.
In addition to the precious older ooks
the library contains a representative
gathering of modern literature includ-
Ing frst editions of Charles Lamb.
Charles Dickens, Longfellow, Whittier,
Hawthorne. and othors.
FROM A CHICAGO COLLECTOR.
Thomas B1rch's Sons of Philadelphia,
will make several interesting announce
ments shortly. The last week in Octo-
bsr a collection of rare American,
formed by well-known residents of
Chicago, was sold under the hammer.
A glance over the catalogue discloses
some interesting and rare items, such as
the original edition of Thomas's "Penn-
sylyapia, "and EAST West New jersey"
1893: an uncut copy In the original COW
ers of "The Federalist," in French
which is considered to be unique in this
condition and rare in any shnpe, pub
lished at Philadelphia, 1854; the rare
French edition of Bouquets "Expedi-
ton Against the Indians of Ohio" 1859:
IA Relation of the Invasion and Con-
quest of Florida" London, 18s6-the first
work in English on Florida; "a Hum
BILE Attempt at Scurrility," by Isaac
Hunt Gather Of Leigh Hunt). Philndel-
phia, 1865. A true copy of Pitman's
Narrative, London, 1859. This is the
second English book relating to New
York, and so rars that none of the big
collections BARLOW, Cooke, or Ives) had
a copy. Other gems are "The French
Edition of Champlsin's Travels in
France" Paris, 1852; the rare Venetian
80 D.