Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-14
RARE OLD VOLUMES.
A BoOK-BUYER GIVES SOME VERY
INTERESTING REMIxIsCENCEs.
rHE FREAKS OF BIDLIOMANIACS.
Enthusiasts Sometimes Pay Hun
dreds of Dollars for Works That
strike Their Fancy-Curios In The
shape OF Literature.
For the Dispatch.)


used to buy English books through those
weli-knowr importers-a quarter OF Gen.
fury ago-Messrs. Wiley & Son, and al
times / procured Americana" chiefly
from book-dealers in New York and Phil
adelphia
In the seventies l visited the sales
rooms Of Bangs & Co., New York. in or
der to see how their sales Of secondhand
books and autographs were conducted.
Seated there In comfortable arm-chairs.
and grouped in a semicircle were about
two dozen gentlemen. in the midst of
whom took seat and made my bids.
AS soon as my name had been an
nounced by a crier. gentleman on either
side of me made hurried recognition.
One was the so-called book king of New
York, Joseph Sabln, now dead; the
other a Mr. Arnold, who informed me
that he was an inveterate book-fancier,
but bought only illustrated works.
A VALUABLE BOOK.
had bought so / thought, some high
| priced books, among which were Sava-
tus's great work on physiognomy, in five
| volumes, quarto. and Catesbys Carolina,
In two volumes, atlas folio the two sets
costing me near $500. Soon thereafter the
crier put up Horsmanden's Plot, publish
ed, as | understood, by Peter Zenger in
TAG. This Zenger was, II mistake not,
the first printer OF books In that city,
which has now come to be one Of the
first in the limited rank of great cities
The work appeared to be thin volume
Svo. size, unbound but clean and
neat outside and inside. Sabin was the
first bidder, at % cents. The crier took
the bid composedly. when Gowans, an
other so-called book-king. said: "Sabin,
help the poor man along-I'll raise you
one dollar" Sabn quickly replied "Since
you are so liberal. Gowans, I'll see you
and go you twenty-five dollars better"
Gowans thereupon bid $780, which was the
pace set for Sabin, who ran the bids up
10 $500. when the auctioneer's hammer
instantly fell
BIBLIOMANIA, INDEED.
l was amazed at this revelation of the
bibliomania-a mere pamphlet but little
taller than an almanac, to fetch so ex-
traVagant a price.
Think of 1t, ye gentlemen who attend
the book sales of our George Mayo, and
who open wide your eyes when one Of
his rarest tones is knocked down at $50!
| was no less amazed by the extrava-
CANT bids made by the crazy book folk
assembled at Bangs, either in person or
by proxy than at the expeditions way in
which those auctioneers conducted their
sales. The crier merely announced the
titles Of his articles-called the number,
took the bids, and knocked out the high
est of them without a moments hesita-
ton. He not only thereby economical his
time, but indirectly complimented his
company.
l remarked to Sabin afterwards, II am
out Of my element here. Be so good as
to tell me who is the purchaser of this
pamphlet?' He answered Stuart. the
great sugar-refiner Of half century ago"
There are, ii would seem, several edi-
tons of Horsmanden, but Yenger's is
said by dealers TO be excessively rare"
The following excerpt from Richmond &
Sons New York catalogue Of rarities, re-
Gently issued, should be interesting TO
such of the readers Of the Dispatch as
may be fanciful in matters of history
and photography. / give IT verbatim:
WHAT THE CATALOGUE SAYS.
"Horsmanden (DanieD, a Journal Of
the Proceedings in the Detection of the
Conspiracy Formed by Some White Peo-
pie in Conjunction with Negro and Other
Slaves, for Burning the City of New York,
in America and Numbering the Inhab-
tantS, containing:
Il. A Narrative of the Trials, Condem-
nations, Executions, and Behaviour Of
the Several Criminals at the Gallows and
Stake, with their Speeches and Confess
sions.
III. An Appendix, Wherein is Set Forth
Some Additional Evidence Concerning the
Said Conspiracy and Conspirators, Which
has Come to Light Since Their Trials and
Executions.
"III. List Of the Several Persons whites
and blacks) Committed on Account of the
Conspiracy. and of the Several Criminals
Executed, and of Those Transported, with
the Places Whereto.
"By the Recorder of the City Of New
York. Alto. Bound by Sortic fills in black
Levant morocco, inlaid with an elaborate
design of interlacing bands in orange
morocco. double of white Levant morocco,
with broad fooled borders, watered-sllk
fly-leaves, gilt edges. in a chamois-lined
cover, and cloth case.
New York: Printed by James Parker.
l744 $780,"
A NEGRO PLOT.
Richmond & Sons say in a note "Hors-
manden's Negro Plot" is one of the
rarest and most important records of the
history of New York city
In l7l fourteen negroes were burned.
eighteen hanged. and seventy-one trans
ported. -Four whites were also executed
for completely in the supposed plot.
This copy is in fine condition, and the
binding cost about $50. The half title
known to exist in only one copy is alb
sent. This identical copy has been Of
fered as high as $500"
Just to think of 1t takes the breath
away-the binding alone of this little
brochure cost in gold, mind you, $50!
The names OF Lostic, fills, Of Holloway,
Lewis, Bedford. Matthews, Riviere, Pratt,
Hayday, and several others not now re-
membered by me are guarantees OF work
executed by them in the highest style of
the bibliopegic art. In fact, these artists
are better known and more esteemed by
book fanciers than the authors whose
works they collate and coat over with
finest calf Russia, or morocco.
/ was told that the workshops OF we'll
established book binders are overrun with
orders, and that they are exceedingly
chary of their favors.
1t may not be amiss to refer In this
connection to some of the fanciful and fas-
tidious tastes displayed by the book buy
ing gentry.
BOOK FANCIERS HOBBIES.
There are those who bid for only black
lettered volumes, Illuminated or otherwise
adorned; old Bibles, old Testaments, old
manuals OF prayers preceding the after
birth OF our early prayer-books, Elyeviss,
in paper or vellum ian uncut one is OF
the rarest quality) Caxtons. Wyndin de
Wordes, Pynsons. Barketts. Baskervilles,