New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-13
". K. BIYBY HONORED.
Bibiophile Society of Boston Pre-
seRtS a Punch Bo1cI to HIM.

boston, Jan. 1.-THE fourth annual meeting ana
banquet of the Bibliophile Society held at the
Algonquin Club last night Among the speakers
were John D. Long. Professor Albert Bushnell
Hart, of Harvard University: Edward H. Clement.
or The Boston Transcript" and f r. Sanborn.
Of Concord Mass
the presentation of a punch bowl and tray to one
of the members William K. Bixby, Of. st. Louis.
NO The bowl is Of sterling silver and gold. rest
ing on plateau. standard, Of sterling silver
The two pieces weigh nearly nine hundred ounces
The measurement at the base is thirty-one inches
and the height twenty-five inches It is designed
IN the Roman Corinthian type and in its decora-
i've features follows closely the detail OF the Ie-
PIE of Antoninus and Faustna at Rome generaIiy
held to be one of the most refined examples OF
that type Twelve columns support the upper por-
tons of the bowl Directly beo= these. on the OBJ
verse Of the body is the seal of the Bbliophe So
ctety, with open book and an unrolled parchment
either side of the seal. Upon the book are en-
graved the names of several manuscripts which MI.
Bixby has given the society to print, and the scroll
contains the names Of many eminent writer's whose
original manuscripts to be found in Mr. Bixbys
collection. No die work stamped work has been
used in the construction of this piece: all is moulded
and hand chased and finished, and the ornamental
tons are in hand wrought pure gold. The follow
ing inscription appears in raised Roman letters on
the side OF the bowl:
Presented by the members of the BibIiophie So
eeiety to william x BIxby 81, Louis MO- Oh '''e
The cost Of the bowl nearly $1,000 was ralsen
by popular subscription among the members
The committee having charge Of the selection ana
presentation this beautiful testimonial Consists
Of Mr.. Whitelaw Reid. chairman: United states
Senator Perkins San Francisco; the Hon. j. Lever
ing Jones. Philadelphia; John P. Woodbury. ana
Henry H. Harper, Boston The following Is the
presentation address, which was prepared oy inc
chairman of the committee:
To william K Bixby, esq. ..,....
Your fellow members of the Biolophlle soete96y
of the regard in which they hold you. and of the
obligation they feel for the services you nave rem
They admire the taste learning and liberality
in books and manuscripts and they feel honored
in having you associate. III,
which you have placed these priceless collections
at the service Of your book loving friends fb ems
selves your grateful debtors. l.. ,,uo,,.r,e
such an indebtedness. But they cannot be denied
the privilege of recognizing it. In the piece to
accept from them They have endeavored to make
this an object of art, not wholly unworthy OF the
structed to bring it to YOU with the gratitude ana
sincere good wishes of your four hihe[ed + 1!iN
During the last few years air. Bixby has given
the BibliophiIe Society a large number OF valuable
unpublished manuscripts. The issue of these IN
limited editions, printed exclusively for the nael-
bers has had the effect of making the society 8
historical societies. The items include the auto
graph Journal of Major Andre. containing many
original maps of the Revolutionary period, the
original unpublished Proceedings OF the Court or
Inquiry that tried Colonel Varick for supposed com
pIicity in the Arnold treason long unpublished
manuscript of Marat. unpublished manuscript
of Sir Walter Scott, three volumes OF unpublished
manuscripts of Henry D. Thoreau, a long poem by
Dante Gabriel Rossetti. number of the original
Letters of Charles Lamb. a unique Burns ITEM and
other manuscripts of great historic aid
literary worth. These have all been placed in the
hands Of the society by Mr. Bixby. to be printed
for the members and it is in recognition Of this
disnterested generosity that the members have ex-
pressed their gratitude and esteem.
In turning the numerous manuscripts. valued
at nearly $4,000. 10 the Biblophile Society, Mr..
Rixby acted solely on his own impulse, and not at
the instigation of any friend acquaintance These
treasures were voluntarily offered the society.
and many of them were sent on to Boston, to the
societys treasurer, before single officer of the
organization was personally known 10 Mr.. Bixby.
number of the most precious items were in loose
sheets and the owner himself assumed the risk Of
their safe to him in the same good condition
in which they left. The chances of loss or destruc
ton Of one or more leaves can we'll be inag ined
when one considers that they had to be copied,
compared and many of them sent out to be photo
graphed and reproduced in various ways and then
compared again with the fac-snllles. 1t found
that one bound manuscript volume, valued at more
than $4,000, would have TO be taken apart. and Mr.
Bixby promptly instructed that this BIS done,
TO the last leaf necessary, in order to reproduce
It to the best advantage. The rarest and most
valuable items sent have never been accom-
panied by single restriction word Of caution to
those into whose hands they were Entrusted Not
even the cost has been mentioned. except in the
necessary accompanying correspondence relating to
thu purchase Mr. Bixby has always desired that
that be withheld from publication. and with be-
coming modesty he has repeatedly protested against
snv recognition Of his munihcent benefactions.
UNION LEAGUES LOAN EXHIBITION.