Omaha daily bee., 1899-07-23
RareSt Latin Bible
a.
Now i'm Existence

Over In Chelsea square, In one Of the
rooms Of the library Of the General Theo-
logical seminary, relates the New York
Sun, IL 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
BibliotheQue Rationale In Paris. Packed
together on the dusty shelves OF the half
lighted room are nearly 1900 Volumes, over
800 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 bible. and Johann Faust and Peter
Schoeffer Of Mentz; Johann Mentelin n
Heinrich Eggesteyn of Strasburg; Uric
Zell, the father Of the Cologne press"
Berthold Rodt and Bernhard Of Basic, the
first printers in Switzerland; Coberger, the
great N~uremburg printer; Uric Gering,
Martinus Crantz and Michael Friburger, the
first printers in Paris; Francis de Hailbrun,
N. de Frankfordia and Jensen OF Venice;
Moravus OF Naples and their contemporaries.
The Chelsea square collection was made
what 1t is by the acquisition, Ave years
ago, through the aid Of Cornelius Wander
bilt Of the u%nequaled library Of Latin bibles,
1.45O volumes, collected by DR.. Walter A.
Copinger, professor Of law in the Victoria
university, Manchester. England. The
Coplinger collection contained many edi-
lions extremely rare and some absolutely
unique. Since the purchase of the Copin-
ger library Dean Hoffman Of the seminary
has spent thousands Of dollars in the pur-
chase Of other editions, and he has paid
only recently SIS, 900 for a copy Of the first
bible, printed in Gutenberg's shop in Mentz
in 1906. The dean hopes to secure copies
Of all the known editions Of the incunabula.
The value Of such q collection cannot be
measured.
The most treasured book in the collection
Tho most sought after book in the world
is the Gutenberg bible, the earliest book
printed with movable metal type. 1t is in
two heavy folio volumes, like nearly all of
the early bibles, and is one Of the most
splendid specimens of Typography extant.
Considering that this was the first printed
book it is q marvellous production. 1t Is a
masterpiece CT art. For more than a CEN
tury it has been known as the Mazarin
bible, from the fact that the first recog-
nixed copy was found by William Francis
De Bure. the younger. in the library of
Cardinal Mazarin, belonging to the college
des Quatre Nations. An account Of the dis
covery Of this first bible is found in the
first volume of photographic Instructive"
published at Paris in 1853. This is an
doubtedly the bible which, according to the
testimony Of Uric Zell, in the Cologne
Chronicle of 1899, began printing Gin the
jubilee year of 1880"
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 ar old book-$19,5 500. 1t
formerly was the property Of Sir John
Thorold. At the Syston Park library sale
in London in 1884, Bernard Quaritch. the
London bookseller, bought 1t for $40, SOC, and
it later became the property Of Rev. Will
liam Makellar of Edinburgh. At the Makel-
lar sale by Sotheby in November. Quaritch