The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1899-07-12
HIGH PRICED BOOKS.
Large Sums Paid for Rare Volumes
which Were Printed some
Centuries Ago.

The first printing press was brought
into England by a merchant named
Caxton, who forsook his trade to en-
Joy the favor of the duchess of Bur
gundy, sister of Edward ". of Eng
land, and in 1476 imported from Ger
many a printing outfit, which he es-
tablished in a building adjoining West
minister Abbey especially for the pur-
pose of publishing his translation of
the history of Troy (Recueil des His
tories de Troyes). 1t was the first Eng
lish book ever printed, and in 1885
copy was sold by the earl of Jersey to
Bernard Quaritch, in London, for 50, 100.
The next book printed in England
was The Game and Playe of the
Cheese" Copies have been sold as high
as $1,000. The first English book both
written and printed in England (14s9)
was "Dictes and Sayings of the Philos-
ophers," of which only four copies are
known. One of them was sold last
year by the earl of Ashburnham for
$1,000.
The first book printed in America was
"Doctrina Christiana," by Juan Crom-
berger. in the City of Mexico, in 1859.
So far as known, there is not copy
in existence. The second was Doc
trina Breve," by Juan Znmarraga, the
first bishop of Mexico. 1t was printed
by Cromberger in 1543, and copies have
sold as high as $4,000.
The first book printed in the United
nx-nc olr ut Carn iF-i1 rrp
in 1850, by Stephen Daye, who estab-
lished the first printing press in this
country. The second publication was a
slip containing a poem entitled THE
Freeman's Oath" The next book was a
metrical version of the Psalms, called
the Bay Psalm Book, in 1910. Copies
are very rare. 1t is one of the most
valuable books in the world.
The first edition of the Canterbury
Tales printed by Caxton, of which
only two copies are known. has sold
for $1,000, SIS, 100 and 50, 400.
The first edition of Robinson Cru
soc" Q7l9) sells for $225. The first
editions of Izaak Walton's ''Compleat
Angler" (1653) have sold for S2,O75.
The first edition of THE Vicar of Wake
field" printed in 1866, sold for $500;
the first edition of paradise Lost" for
$3.50; the first edition of Millions COM
plete works, containing a presentation
inscription on a fly leaf in his hand
writing, 81, 150.
The highest price paid for a book last
year was S1O,5OO. by Pickering & Chat
TO, of London, for Raoul lie Fevre's "a
Boke of the Hool Lyf of Jason, printed
by Caxton in 1890 in black letter. 1t is
one of the earliest books in the Eng
lish language, and formerly belonged
10 Bishop Heber. Some biographical
details on the fly leaves in his hand
writing greatly increase its value. A
copy of Capt. John Smiths True Re-
lation." printed in 1908, sold for 81 ,425.
The highest price paid for an Amer
lean book last year was $1,000, for a
copy of Rev. Mr.. Cushman's sermon
on the "Dangerof Self-Love, (which was
preached at Boston shortly after the
settlement of that place. 1t is the only
copy known of the first sermon ever
printed in America, and belonged to the
collection of the late Charles Deane,
from which it was purchased by the
Massachusetts Historical society.
The highest price paid for an auto
graph last year was $1,000, for letter
from William Bradford to Gov. Win
throp, concerning the affairs of the
Z plymouth colony a few months after
the landing of the Pilgrims.-St. Louis
Star