The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-04

~ une AsnOurnnam sale
I'll genuine and immaculate throughout,
has the two original blank leaves and il in
the 1877 binding OF oaken boards covered
with ornamental leather, just as It left.
Cations shop. In 1894 this splendid
Jason cost Lord Ashburnham only EST
The only other American copy OF the book
is the one In the New York Public Library
which lacks a leaf.
The chief production OF Cations press,
the first edition Of Chaucer's Canterbury
Tales i47s, is represented by two copies.
one with only two leaves lacking. which sold
In 1890 for Gl, $50, the other. lacking severn
teen leaves. being the Ashburnham copy,
which fetched e72O' in 1897. Eleven copies
are in existence and only two are perfect.
In 1884 Caxton issued a second edition OF
the Tales which is less rare than the
first. although but one perfect example Is
known. b Morgan copy. which brought
GOO at the Ashburnham sale. ID one Of the
best Of the twelve defective examples.
lacking but twenty-eight leaves.
At least five Of the later Caxtons are in
perfect condition: Life OF Our Lady,
1854. one Of three complete copies; -Specu-
lum.' 1887. also one Of three complete
examples; the Royal Book" l4ss. one Of
five perfect copies; -Easydos.' 1870. one OF
mir complete examples and the -Chastis-
ing Of Gods Children. : 1904. one OF eight pet
feet copies.
The Life Of Our Lady, was priced In
1907 at Ell 900. less than one-half Of its present
value. The -Speculum. brought ESQ at
the Ashburnham sale.
A number Of the other Morgan Cations
are also from the ~Ashburnham collection.
and sold as follows at that sale: -Boethius.'
i47s. lacking two leaves. ESQ; -Cordyale.'
i47s. lacking eight leaves. EGO; Mirror
1881. lacking Ave leaves. E22S; Chronicles
Of England 1882. bound with the DE
scription Of Britain" i4so. oslo; Cation
lacking fourteen leaves. fcsS; Order Of
Chivalry.' l4s4. lacking two leaves. f345.
and the -Doctrinal Of Sapience.' i4so. with
two leaves in facsimile. ge6O.
The library also contains the first edition
OF the Golden Legend 1884; fully OF Old
Age 1881; three copies OF the -Polychroni-
CON- 1882; the -Favts of Arms 1859. and
-St. Katherine OF Sienna 1923. There are
eight Cations with illustrations. starting
with the earliest. the first edition Of the
Mirror Of the World" 1881.
Two OF Robert Hoes fine Cations. the
unique King Arthur" Of I4S5 and the
NOnISSslO OIL 1883, WeTe uetCTlDeu " HE
SUN's re cent account Of Mrs. Pope's library.
The first edition OF the Canterbury Tales"
is represented In the Hoe collection by the
notable example. lacking but seventeen
leaves, which sold in London in 1906 for
E1 .o2o.
In addition Mr.. Hoe possesses se veral other
Caxton treasures, among them the finest
known copy Of Higden's -Polychronioon,"
VlaN .k--IkI- - N~- 80 Az
book. with all the five blank leaves and
without additions from other copies, Is
known to exist.
Six perfected examples, with the text
complete, are extant. and two Of the six
are owned here, the one in the New York
Public Library and Mr.. Hoes. The latter,
formerly in the Charlemont and Griswold
collections, is In remarkably fine condition,
about one-half of the volume being uncut.
1t cost Mr.. Hoe So 50 eighteen years ago.
The Cations in the New York Public
Library begin with the Chess Book l475,
a fine copy. lacking only seven Of the printed
leaves, which was purchased by James
Lenox in 1874 for e4oO. The knight OF
the Tower" 1884, was also secured by Mr..
Lenox in 1874, the splendid COrser copy
coming to him at abSut ~Jis.
llH - Otl0 VI LiNC ANVlAtc IL LAC WAAOlO
Caxton series. only two other perfect exam
pies being known. Still another Caxton
purchase Of the same year was the second
edii ion OF -The Mirror OF the World" 1890.
which was bought for Mr.. Lenox at the
lite sale at e4sS. Seven other perfect
copies exist.
The New York Public Library's copies OF
the Jason" A77, and the Cation 1854.
we're acquired by Mr.. Lenox in 1854 at El05
and Esl. respectively. The Jason lacks
one leaf, but is otherwise fine; the Cation" is
one OF nine perfect copies.
A little later he purchased excellent
| copies Of the 'PoIychronicon" OF 14s2 and
the Golden Legend" of 1854. The Spence
Rylands copy Of the latter is h only COM
plete example Of thisi important work, which
contains nearly the whole OF the Old Tesla
ment and is therefore the cornerstone Of
all collections Of English Bibles.
Twelve years after Mr.. Lenox's death. the
trustees OF the library secured the fine.
complete -Polychronicon" which was for
merry in the Dent, Perkins and Ives COL
lections. It ranks next TO Mr.. Hoes o
10 point Of excellence.
Among the other Cations owned in this city
are several OF the later issues Of the press,
the library Of Columbia University includ-
ing. for instance, the rare -Fayts OF Arms
1859. The perfect copy Of the Cation
1854. which realized E1 $50 In London last
year, is also owned in New York, it is be-
lieved.
The c~ostIiest Caxton in existence. the
SRoyal Book" of 14ss, which sold in London
four years ago for G. FPS, is also an Amer
lean possession. Ross r. Winans Of Balti-
more, who is its owner. also includes in his
library the veIIum printed Indulgence" Of
1881, which brought E2e5 at the same sale.
The latter is the only perfect copy known.
The Royal Book" the finest Of the FIVE
perfect examples, is in the original Caxton
binding Of oaken boards covered with
leather. stamped in diagonal compartments
If dra gons and roses.