Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-13
Interesting Exhibit to Be Seen in the
New Library Building.
CAREFULLY ARRANGED COLLECTION
Few Libraries in the World Con.
tain Such Treasures.
UNDER PLATE GLASS CASES

For some months past Mr.. A. r. Spot
ford has been engaged In preparing an ex-
hibit in the northwest gallery of the new
library building which will be an exceed
iI4g1y interesting study to all lovers of old
and valuable publications. This exhibit
has just been completed, and as a collection
of early and rare books has no equal in
this country. The exhibits are under cover
of pIate-glass cases.
Very few of the residents of this city are
aware of the rich collections which had for
years been accommodating in the old library
quarters of thu Capitol where they were
buried from public view because of the
lack of space in which to display them.
Necessarily the exhibit in the northwest
gallery of the new library building is but
very small part Of the treasures of typog-
rsphy and rare and costly books, including
especially what are known as incunabula
books produced n the infancy of the art
of printing! and Americana, contained In
the great library of the United States.
Now that abundant space Is provided for
these treasures, a. selection of them has
been made and partially classified into
groups for public inspection and informa-
ton. The preparation and placing of the
exhibit has been one of the special cares
of Mr.. Spofford, much of whose life has
been devoted to the gathering and enricn-
ing of this national collection of books and
whose practical judgment in its selection
and arrangement is seen in the exhibit
which can now be viewed by the public.
Beginning at the north end of the gallery
Cease 81, there are exhibited rows of specl-
mems of early printed books representing
every year from 1867, the earliest imprint,
up to 1901 This exhibit illustrates by
actual examples the early history of the
art that is preservative of all other arts.
They are by no means so numerous as such
49, ho rr-o,Z n
permit being made, as the early black-let-
ter volumes representing some OF these
years are very numerous In the collection
But the exhibit presents to the student of
typography a most interesting and strictly
continuous series of specimens Of the work
of the early printers.
These early books are on various sub
jects, theology predominating, as that ap-
pears to have been the ruling interest In
the world of books during the period in
question. The colect ton embraces the edi
tons produced by the early printers in
many European cities. They are represent
ed by examples printed at Mantz, Nurem-
berg. Bologna, Rome, Venice, Treviso,
Augsburg, Speyer, Cologne. Strasburg,
Brescia, Erfurt and Cremona.
Quaint Illustrations.
Many of these volumes are illustrated by
quaint woodcuts and several are adorned
by Examinations in gold and colors executed
by hand, while fabricated lines and capital
letters are numerous. Among the more
notable specimens of Typography is the old
est gem in the collection, the Constitutions
of St Clement. Pope, printed by Peter
Schoeffer Mainz (Mentz), in 1867. This is
a large folio printed in black-letter type
on handmade paper and partly in red ink,
though the larger portion is in black. The
preSsWork of this rare and early specimen
of the printers art is a model of beauty
Ciean-cut type of 431 years ago produced
impression as clear and brilliant as the
best work of the Nottingham or the De
Winnie press of today. A Life of Christ in
Latin of Ludolphus, printed at Nuremberg
by A koburger, A D. 147S, Is a lovely
specimen of fifteenth century typography
1t is huge and ponderous folio. nearly
heavy enough 10 require two persons to
carry 1t, and is bound in heavy oak boards
covered with pigskin.
A copy of Aristotle's Opsra printed at
Venice by Aldus Manutius in 1895 is beau
tiful specimen of the Greek text from one
of the most famous presses of the world
the AldiI-e. There are several editions of
the Nuremberg Chronicle of Schedel some
of which are literally crammed with quaint
and curious woodcuts representing all the
superstitions of the middle ages. A copy
Of the Fasciculus Temporum of Rolevinck
printed at Spirae (Speyer) by Petrus Drach
in 14I1, has a curious picture of Noah's
ark colored by hand. the inscriptions on
which denote the various parts of the ark
in which the "habitacio'' of the animals
birds, fruits and vegetables was located
Part of Peter Force Collection,
Many if rot most of these curiosities of
ancient Typography came into the possess
sion of the government with the library of
that venerable and honored book collector
Peter Force of Washington. He was both
a printer and scholar, and he amassed a
library of photographed treasures which
are now for the first time fully brought out
to public view.
A very timely exhibit is made on the OPP
pcsite side Of the hall tease u, where some
of the early Spanish and other books and