Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-03
RARE AND BEAUTIFUL
Collection of Books on View at
Library of Congress.
INTERESTING OLD VOLUMES
Published by Private Presses. Clubs
and Societies.
THE AMERICAN BOOK CLUBS
Work Of Some Of the Most Notable
Source of the Arts and
Crafts Movement.
THE AMERICAN BOOK CLUBS

beautiful volumes, and shows to what per-
lection may be carried the bookmaker's
trade. There is such vast amount of print
ed matter to be had SO cheaply today that
the world is surfeited, and the old-time rev.
erence for book is almost gone.
George Macdonald, In his Annals of
Quiet Neighborhood." says that he finds
himself in danger of delighting in the mere
bindings of his books and James T. Fields
speaks in his writings Of finding on his
library shelves comrades and friends 1t
was this thought and this feeling which
prompted the organization of book clubs,
and made the establishment of private
presses commercially worth while
The book clubs of America are commonly
less well known than they deserve. Through
their agency many of our most valuable
historical records have been preserved, and
by their efforts an appreciation and taste
for real books has been kept alive. The
"Junto," a literary society organized by
Benjamin Franklin, is supposed to have
been the parent of these clubs but 1t had
little In common-save a love OF good liter
ature-with its later-day offsprings. The
effort of the earliest American literary So
cieties was rather to produce than to pre-
serve good literature, and instead Of print
ing or reprinting books their members con-
tributed to, and frequently established for
the purpose, current magazines. Indeed,
this the beginning of the American
magazine, which. with its colored pictures
and profuse illustra tons, its light fiction
and bulky advertisements, beckons cease
lessly from kaleidoscope news-stands to
the guileless passer-by. Its prototype was
solemn affair in comparison, containing
nothing but good leading. and 1t netted it's
publishers little or no profit; but 1t was a
link in the chain
Early Book Clubs.
The &c Society, which existed in Phila-
delphia between the years 1854 and 81, was
probably the first American book club real
ly worthy of the name. 1t published quite
number of historical volumes in plain form,
with neat printing, and at small cost. VIM
]. Davis, the private secretary to George
Bancroft the historian. has. however, the
honor of having been the first man In New
York to establish book club of definite
purpose. 1t was he, 1t is said, who COM
menced the work which is gradually edu-
eating the taste of American book buyers
for fine books. His organization was simply
known as The Club, but from 1t came
the Bradford"
The earliest American book club repre-
scented in the exhibit at the Library of Con-
gress is the famous Grolier Club of New
York. which began In 1884 with a member
ship of fifty and has grown now to nearly
four hundred. 1t was named after Jean
Grolier de SERVER. discount dAguisy. treas
urer general of France, an ardent book
lover, who diligently sought out the best
impressions of the best books and had them
bound by the most skillful binders under his
own direction. The motto which was in
scribed in all his books became the motto
of the club''Io. Grolierii ct amcorum"
which, translated, means For the use of
Groier and his friends The club was
ganized on broad lines, and united from the
first booklovers and bookmakers. It's first
committee has been typical of It's later
membership, comprising among others Rob-
ert Hoe. jr., the press builder; Brayton
Ives, the well-known banker and collector;
Theodore l.. De Winnie, master printer; Alex
ander w. Drake, art editor of the Century;
Samuel N. Marvin of Scribner's Edward S.
Meade, publisher; Arthur B. Turnure
printer, and William l.. Andrews, col
lector.
Its custom has been, and is to publish in
the best form occasional volumes, two or
three for each member and limited num-
Der for outsiders, who, a writer has said
have friend at court" OF every edition
two copies are printed on vellum one of
which is placed in the clubs library and the
other sold in January at the private auction
of the club. There are no less than six of
the Groler books included in the library ex-
hibit, and of these The Phlobiblon of
Richard de Bury is supposed to be one of
it's most important productions. 1t is not
what might be called a sumptuous volume,
but It is beautifully printed. plainly, clearly
and with excellent spacing. No pains were
spared to make this edition of the treatise
of the good bishop of Durham notable in
i
tail. An unbound volume Of this work re-
Gently brought 500. while the vellum copy
sold for SS25
Engraved Portraits.
Near this is placed an illustrated cata-
logue of engraved portraits of Washington,
compiled by Charles Henry Hart and issued
in 1904. which calls attention to another
field of activity which the Grolier Club has
entered. 1t has not only printed books but
has from time TO time held notable exhibit
lions of prints. etchings, Autographs and
the like. Another of its interesting produc-
tions shown is volume by Theodore L.
De Vinne Title pages as seen by printer,
with numerous Illustrations in facsimile.
and some observations on the early and re-
cent printing of books" while Illustrating
the scope of It's publications will be found
the History Of Helyas-Knight of the
Swan" translated by Robert Copeland from
French version. printed in Paris, in 1884,
literal reprint a1ler unique COPY printed
by him on parchment
As rule the book clubs publications are
very simply bound, but occasionally the
Grolier's. books show Handsome binding
The cover, for example, to "One Hundred
Books Famous In English Literature Is of
fooled leather and has marginal clasps.
The Dunlap Society of New York was
the next in order Of organization. II was
established in 1885, at the suggestion of
Brander Matthews, for the purpose of
bringing together all those who were In
lefeSted IN the history of the theater in
America, and was named after William
Dunlap, one of the first American dramat
lists, who was also the founder of che Ma
tional Academy OF Design. AS representa-
tive of Its aims and output two volumes
are shown, EARLY American Plays" bv
Oscar Wegelin. and washington and the
Theater," by Paul Leicester Ford. The lat
ter is a specially interesting book. well
printed delightfully."- illustrated and his
torically valuable. 1t is dedicated to
Richard Mansfield. Its writer was not
only the author of Janice Meredith" and
other popular romances. but the son of
Gordon Ford, for many years the pub
Usher of the New York Tribune, who
with him and his brother. made up the
Historical Printing Club Of Brooklyn
to which American historians must for
all time acknowledge deep Indebtedness
NClub Of Odd Volumes"
Boston next came into line. in 1886, with
a Club of Odd Volumes established for
the purpose of promoting literary and
artistic taste. the study of the arts as ap-
piled to bookmaksng. and SO forth, and
meeting along Its chosen course with fair
II you have no telephone and