Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-23
MANY RARE BOOKS
VALUABLE EDITIONS NOW IN
PRIVATE LIBRARIES.
Some Interesting and Costly Works in
Collection of Mr.. Morgan-How
the Volumes Are Obtained.
From the New York ..ven,ng Pcs,

From the New York evening Pest
The truth of the Biblical statement that
of making books there is no end" is
strongly aceentuated when chatting with
an ardent and discriminating collector. An
hours conversation with him is a liberal,
education in 1.-THE tricks and the manners
of the bookmakeT, bookbuyer and book
seller.
Since the time of his first incubation with
the book collectors germ, one such man.
who makes q business of selling only rare
and curious volumes, has not only passed
through the various stages OF the disease
himself. but has made a close study of the
conditions and habits of other collectors.
Among the best known in this country are
y. Pierpont Morgan. Richard hoe, e. ID.
Church and f. r. Halsey. whose libraries
are of immense value
One would hardly expect such a busy man
as Mr.. Morgan to be biDliomaniac OF
pronounced type, but he Is. In 1888 he
added to his library four thousand choice
volumes which had Deen collected by James
Toovey, we.i-known bookseller OF the SIX
ties. This collection, cneHy notable tor It's
choice variety OF bindings, proDaply cost
Mr.. Morgan at least one nundred thousand
dollars. Among the collection We're "a pre-
sentaton copy OF lzaak walton's Lives. a
hrst foiio Shakespeare tAAr. Morgan is SAID
TO possess three others; Nynken &c
Worde imprint of The Boke OF st. Al
bans, printed IN 14So with Caxcon's type
and many other choice Volumes
Mr.. Morgan is also reported TO be the
owner OF two hne copies of the Mazarln
Bible. This, If authentic. gives nve to the
city OF New YORK, the oloest from point
OF possession beng the one owned by MI
James Lenox.
A Rare Psalter.
Amt her rare wort, th., ,y
Mr.. Morgan is the Fust and Schoenei
Psalter OF 1859. printed on vellum. No one
but Mr.. Morgan and the London dealer
from whom he bought it knows the amount
received for this valuable book, but tbs
asking price for many years was 5,0o1
Sulneas. Mr.. Morgan has recently allowed
columbia University to exhibit IT,
MIR. Morgdns most valuable volume is
probably the great 1eweled edition OF the
Iour gospels. The manuscript is bound
most ilcli.S, the upper cover uGing stuuuet.
with 32I emeralos, sappnires, cirbuncies,
pearls and various otner precious stones.
The lower cover is composed OF 'croiA
pattee formed of Mosaic enamels, set w ia
thirty-five precious and brilliant gems
All who have seen this manuscript de-
clare 1t the most wonderful specimen OF It's
kind the world produce. Ire British
Museum authorities bitterly lamented their
lack of funds at the time 1t Was sold as
they coveted 1t for their famous COLLECTION.
Its original price, when sold by the Earl OF
Ashburnhams family, who owned 1t for
sixty years, was flO,Ot0, the highest price
ever received for book.
Cornelius Vanderbilt, ST., although not SO
widely known as collector, Was interested
in rare books, and was the owner of the
bay Psalm Book, which would doubtless
bring several times its last selling pi1ce OF
$1,2VU, ii again put upon the market. Only
ten copies of this famous book are known
to exist
d
Worde's issue of The Story OF Helas,
Knight of the Suzanne. This middle-age
romance is said to be one OF the oldest and
most popular of its period. MIR, Hoes copy.
printed on vellum is the only one IN ex-
lstence SO far known.
photographers give precedence to manu-
scripts They are entitled to the greatest
consideration of any form of book. Mir.
Hoe is the posSeSSor of such a large num-
Der of old Illuminated volumes, to make
his library in this respect the superior OF
any other private or public collection in
America. Velum-printed books Were al
most all produced prior to 1880, and the
perfect condition of most of these manu-
scripts is truly wonderful.
Not until manuscripts were illuminated
with miniatures did they gain their trans
cendent value works OF art and become
prizes to reward the bibliophiles eager
search. The most notable example of the
beautiful manuscripts OF the Rena iSSance
possessed by Mr.. Hoe is st. Jerome's Latin
soon after the year 100 the INK is still jet
black in striking contrast to the Wilderness
of the vellum. The manuscript is orna-
mented throughout, with hundreds of in
itial letters painted in gold and colors,
many of them embodying small but ex-
Quisite miniatures with backgrounds of
FURNISHED gold. Historical. it is relic of
great interest believed to have been in the
possession of st. Louis at Aigues- Mortes
in 124S, just before he departed for Egypt
and the Holy Land on his first unfortu-
nate crusade.
A Horace Manuscript on Vellun.
Ancient learning is represented in this
library by several manuscripts of classical
authors; n folio Horace, for example, was
written on vellum in the fifteenth century
and represents some of the best Italian
work. as do also the manuscripts of Ovid,
Cicero and other classical writer's which
are in this collection. The browning charm
of this, well as OF every other extensive
collection of medieval illuminated manu-
scripts, must ever remain the lovely Mis-
sails, Psalters and Books of Hours, many
of which are included in the $50 manu-
scripts which have been gathered together
by Mr.. Hoe. Printing born in Ger
many, but the full flower of its early de- |
veIopment was reached in Italy. Mr. Hoes |
library is rich with treasures from both |
countries. Printing and Aldus Cone of its |
greatest discfples) are supposed to have |
been born in the year 1850 Aldus lived In !
Venice and his editions have always been |
priced by book lovers; they are well rep |
resented on Mr.. Hoes shelves. His library |
also abounds in the workmanship of Louis |
Elzevir of Leyden.
The Lion and the Dancer.
Paris Cor London Telegraph.