The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-13
The RAREST OF
AMERICAN BOOKS
IT rs PROBABLY THE OLD NEW
ENGLAND PRIMER.

ENGLAND PRIMER.
The photography of This Remarkable
Writing Many Of the Early Editions
Have Entirely Disappeared One, if
Found, Would Bring Thousands of
Dollars.
Boston Post.
II am often asked,' said a New
York bookseller, (Which is the rarest
American book.
cit is a puzzling question to answer,
for dozen different works might be
named-for example, the folio edition
of the Columbus letter, the only known
copy of which is in the Lenox library
New York: William Bradford, 1899,
the first book printed in this city, long
supposed to be lost, but unearthed by
an American girl in 1902 among Gov
ernOr Fletcher 8 papers in the archives
of the public record office in London.
where unique copy had rested in OBJ
SECURITY since it was forwarded by the
New York governor oil years ago.
book is the New England Primer, the
little Bible Of New England as it has
been called, which is so rare that the
earliest printed editions have vanished,
no one knowing, indeed, when and
where the first edition was actually
issued. ~yN'
"a few collectors think that the first
edition was printed in Cambridge,
Mass, in 1868, basing their belief on a
statement, made by Marmaduke John
son, printer in that town, who was
summoned before the general court in
Boston in September, 1868, to give an
account Of the books he had lately
printed. In johnson s answer to the
council he stated that Che had printed
the primer and this work may have
been the long-lost first edition Of the
found. -
.'The late Paul Leicester Ford, who
published in 1897 an authoritative ac-
count of the New England Primer, be-
| leved that the first edition was printed
IN Boston about twenty years later by
BENJAMIN Harris, a Protestant publish
er, who came from London to Boston
about the year 1856, and there began to
make and sell books. -
Some time between 1857 and 1890
Mr.. Ford fixed upon as the date of the
| hrst issue OF the immortal primer. OF
a second impression, enlarged there
is the satisfactory proof Of an adver
tlsement, an. almanac issued in 1890, an
nouncing that such an edition lis now
in the press, and will suddenly be ex
| tant.'
"Harris had already published il
England 'The Protestant tutor which
seems to have been the legitimate pre-
| decessor of the New England Primer
and 1T is a fair assumption that hi
changed the name and cut down The
size Of the Tutor to meet in bust
ness-like way the pride and purses o:
New England. nv
"The advertisement unearthed b,
MI. Ford is the only proof Of Harris
connection with the New ENGLAND
Primer, for all the editions issued b,
tant edition which he could discove
bears the. date of 1927, having beel
printed in Boston in that year by Knee
land.& Green: The next edition know
to him was dated 1877, the next l73,
and the next 1862.
! D" Since Mr.. Ford's tragic death con
slant research on the part Of collector
has brought to light other editions, al
tho none bearing a date prior to 172
has been found. The list Of known edi
lions printed before the American revo
luton now includes the following is
sues: ~
1.-Boston, 1927, printed by Knee
land & Green One copy known-th
one in the Lenox library, lacking fou
leaves.
Boston, 1875, printed by I
Fleet. Not known to Ford. One COP
known, in private library in Brook
~" as.-Boston, 1887, printed by 1
of the late Cornelius Vanderbilt.
"4.-Boston, 1873, printed by I
Fleet. One copy known, in a privat
library in Brooklyn. -.
"5.-Boston, 1f46, printed by Roger
& Fowle. Not known to Ford. On
copy known, in private library i
, Brooklyn.
J "6:-Germantown, Pa, 1854, printe
by Christopher Sauer, Jr. Not know
to Ford: One copy known, until Re
firm Of rare reg book pSe deaers Of new H0r
"7.-Boston, 1851, printed by D.
j. Kneeland. Not known to Ford. On
copy known, in a private library in Bo
ton.
"s.-Boston, 1862, printed by {
library in Brooklyn.
9 9.-Boston, 1868, printed by T. &
. Fleet. Not known to Ford. Or
0 copy known, in the private library {
y Ilo ldCe blSnOp hurst.
l0.--Boston, 1857, printed by Y
0 McAlpine. Not known to Ford Or
. copy known, until recently in the 20
Q session Of a New York firm Of rare boo
= dealers.
9 g 11:;-Boston, 1868, printed by job
Q Perkins. One copy known, in the p1
y y yate library of the late Cornelius Va
q derbilt.
9 !. "l2.-Boston, ITO, printed by Wi
g liam McAlpine. Two copies known
y y one in the Vanderbilt library and OF
1 in a private library in Hartford, Con
9 13.-Boston, 1870, printed by Jo1
~ Boyle. One copy known, in a publ
: library in New England.
5 14.-Boston, ITO, printed by Jol
Q Perkins. Not known to Ford. Oh
" copy known, which was sold in Bostt
g last spring for $40.
.. 15.-Boston, l771, printed |
John Perkins. Not known to For
One copy known, in the priva
y library Of the late Bishop Hurst.
i 16.-Boston, III, printed
3, Thomas Leverett. One copy know
|, in a private library of the late Bish
}; Hurst.
land & Adams. Not known to Fo1
n One copy known, in the private libra
t, of the late Bishop Hurst.
7. 1S.-Boston, 1771, sold by t
:: printer and bookseller One CO.
Il. known, in a private library in NJ
& England.
=. Boyle. Not known to Ford. One co
Is known, which was sold in Boston Ia