The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-02
WORLDS RAREST BIBLES.
FINEST COLLECTION IN EXISTENCE rs
IN NEW FORK CTTY.


lcction-The Oldest and Finest speci-
mems of Printing-what Some of Them
Cost-Ths Typography Of These Works
Tho Grent Group OF First Printers.
Over In Chelsea Square. In one OF the rooms
q the library OF the General Theological Semi
nary. is the finest collection OF rare old Latin
bibles in the world. SURPRISING in the number
OF editions the great libraries OF the British
Museum in London and the Bibllothaaue Ma
tonalc in Paris. Packed together on the dusty
shelves Of the half-lighted room are nearly
eighteen hundred volumes. over six hundred
editions. collected from the public and private
libraries Of Europe-in themselves a history OF
the birth and growth OF the art OF printing
Nearly all the early printers are represented
there johann Gutenberg, the inventor Of
printing and the printer OF the first
Bile. and Johann Fust and Peter Schoeffer
Of Mentz; Johann Mentein and Heinrich Egg
Ecsteyn OF Strasburg: Uric Zell. the father
a. the Cologne press" Berthold Rodt and
Bernhard of Basic. the first printers in swltzer-
land: CoborGer. the great Nuremburg printer :
Uric Gering. Martinus Crantz and Michael Fri
burger the first printers In Paris: Francis de
Halbrun. n. de Frankfordia and Jensen OF
Venice: Moravus OF Naples and their con-
temporares.
The Chelsea Square collection was made
what it 10 by the acquisition. Ave years ago.
through the aid OF Cornelius Vanderbilt. of the
uueuualled library OF Latin Bibles. 1.450 VOL
umeS. collected by DR.. Walter A. Copinger
professor OF law in the Victoria University.
Manchester. England. The Copinger collec-
ton contained many editions extremely rare
and some absolutely unique. Since the pur-
chase Of the Copinger library Dean Hoffman
ofthe seminary has spent thousands OF dol
lars in the purchase OF other editions. and he
has paid only recently $4,000 for copy OF the
first Bible. printed In Gutenberg's shop in
Mentz in l450-55. The dean hopes to secure
copies OF all the known editions OF the incuna-
I,rir The value OF such collection cannot be
measured.
The most treasured book in the collection
the most sought-aft old book in the world
Ia the Gutenberg Bible. the earliest book
printed with movable metal type. 1t is In two
heavy folio volumes. like nearly oil OF the early
Bibles. and Is one OF the most splendid speci-
mems OF typography eXtant. Considering that
this was the first printed hook. 1t is n marvel
lous production. 1t is a masterpiece OF art
For more than century 1t has been known as
the Mazarin Bible. from the fact that the first
recognized copy was found by william Francis
De Bure the younger In the library OF Cardi-
nal Mazarin belonging to the College des
Quatre Nations. An account of the discovery
Of this first Bible Is found In the first volume
Of photographic Instructive" published at
Paris in 1853. This is undoubtedly the Bible
which. according to the testimony OF Uric Zel
in the Cologne Chronicle OF 1900. began print
ing in the Jubilee year OF 1850"
The Chelsea Square copy OF this famous
Bible is especially interesting to the book
lover because in 1884 it brought the highest
price ever paid for an old book-f3.HO0. 1t
formerly was the property OF Sir John Thorold.
At the Syston Park Library sale in London in
1884 Bernard Quaritch. the London book
seer. bought 1t for $500. and it later became
the property Of the Rev. William MakeIlar of
Edinburgh. At the Makear sale by Sotheby
in November Quaritch bought the Bible for
the Chelsea Square collection. paying f2.05O
for it and selling it for $4,000. Quaritch
wrote after the sale that there were Ave
commissions held by agents In the salesroom.
three at least being from Americans. Tho
highest stopped short at $4,000. the next be-
low at f2.d5O. II 1t had been necessary"
wrote Quaritch. Il should not have stopped
under E3,lOo. but fortunately the underbdder
gave 1t 10 at f2.650."
Dean Hoffman. II Is believed, gave the S15-
ocO FOR the purchase Of the Gutenberg Bible.
The Brayton Ives cory. but little better than
the Chelsea Square copy. except that part OF
its ancient binding still remains. cost Mr.. Ives
$4,000. and at the sale OF his library in 1891
brought Sli 600. The paper copy in tho Lenox
Library. at the sale Of George Hhberts library
in London seventy years ago, brought f2lS.
WnsD Mr en2f bought in 1879 he paid
QswsEo. \ Y. for VIII ch Quar!tch paid ESQ at
SSs G fs h hs cd fng s,ay
m"R W and the Ar2Grynna to the end Of the book
10th prnt,d on yelium. j, Perpont Morgan
s1s %Seb sG H' sSSBy and 9e
L,as il London in i473 was sold By 9usrit5ch
sSysinm' a, tho i Museum m. Ii. BbiIo,
a. Berlin, III" Leipsc Tniycr sity Library. and
T." ba"hhander- i%rse at Ie,Gsc +, There j.
OF the payer copies there are twenty one
rohann Ga cnherg exhausted his, own re-
1r"l@ce MS great folio Hibe. Johann Fust
pPninr f mnter "N Aer m the prRtl 9
Of h" hook Fust sued Gutenberg aud thus
a no % smery FL d the or"sr ii
IHt'nG up another pr"ss. hut success did not
10 now the ~ ths and in @ he
Ad".phu-. He died three years later, Like
9eT S the r'1 RTbted ba e9%k III.
IHmc nor the date Of publ ication. but the date
oEe in this Instance BY the red ink suit
N" subscription at the end OF the first volume
Here ends the nrst part OF tho Bible or Old
Testament. Illuminated. or fabricated. anC
hound ~ Henry AIbet or Cremer on st. Bar
'h,"W"w's lay, AIril. A. D.. l4oB, Thanks b'
- trod iIaneiUIah.'
And NJ the end oi the second volume:
This book. Illuminated and bound by
Henry Cremrr. vicar Of the Collegiate Church
n '' stephen at MentZ, was com pl"tcd on tn,
,gU-t u tho Assumption Of the Blessed Virgin
Mary. A. d. 1876. Thanks be to God Halle
luphn
fortunately for the art Of printing Fust wen
IN 4" III tiutenberg's work taking into part
I"rShip with him his SON n-lHw. Peter Schoet
t"r authorities differ, however. ms to tn
,1s'rRs- r"latiOnsof these three printers Tw
E.'.t a. Gutenberg Bibles are met with. tn
h'r.ea Sluar" copy was probably one Of IN
is,I' pf Fu-t and Schuelfer in or after l45,
whtu t,'y had got the inventors printing
r0i"gnls. Nearly all OF the copies in existenc
are ~ this issue Tho two issues are casil
-'.Eu,shed. Gutenhergs own ISSUE ha
,ry'wo lines to the column throughout
L. tho second sSue tn" first five leavcs. as We
a.""" at tn" beginning Of Mnccahers. where