The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-04-25
GUTENBERG BIBLE AT $4,000
Ur\Rl T.. HUNTINGTON GETS
THE HOE COPY.
Tho Record Price for Any Book Has Been
s.issO Ouarttch and Other Famous
Dealers at the Sa,e-Dxys sales OF
Hare Volumes Rring Over aI3A ,OOO.

Dealers at the Salc-Day's sales OF
Hare Volumes Bring Over aI3A ,OOO.
Henry r. Huntington. nephew of the
late Coils p Huntington. paid 5000
las, night for the famous Gutenberg
Bible from the Robert Hoe collection.
which is almost double the price ever
raid for book in the history OF book
dealing The purchase was made at the
auction sale Of the Hoe collection. which
t.ean Yesterday afternoon at the Ander-
son Auction Rooms. Madison avenue and
Forlrth street
There were $50 persons present. an
assembage probably the most representa-
tive Of prominent bibliophiles ever con-
gregated in this country and perhaps in
any country. Men and women were there
in about equal number, but with the ex-
repton of Miss Green. j. p. Morgans
librarian, and Nine Belin of France. the
women did little bidding. The bidding
vas brisk throughout the evening.
The total of the days sales was Sl3a.-
rs. of which $500 so was realized in
the afternoon
The Gutenberg Bible was printed some
tine between li5O and 1455. The record
rrice raid at auction for any book is
$3.50, brought by the Menu Psalter in
,ssi at the London sale Of Sir John Tho
rolds library.
The value Of the Gutenberg Bible is not
alone in its beauty, great as that is. as an
example of the bookmaker's art. nor in its
rarity. for there are thirtyfour copies in
existence. two Of which are in this country.
The second is owned by j. Pierpont Nor
gan !, is the first book known to have
teen printed from movable types. a fact
that in itself gives it unique interest.
While the book has been on exhibition
IN the auction rooms. two interesting dis
coyeries have been made-the semi
penetration of the pin points by which the
sheet was held in form for registering and
'Ee minute numbering at the lower right
hand margin to guide the binder
soon after the evening sale had opened
fashlight was taken of the asemblage.
The auctioneer remarking that this was
legarded as a hist oric occasion While
the tiddirg opened with unusual brisk
ness. the keen interest shown after the
sale Of the Gutenberg Bible did not be-
come apparent until the two massive
volumes were placed on the auction
block
Then the women were asked to remove
their hats that everybody might get a
glimpse of the costly books. As the
suctioneer opened the bid some one in the
rear Of the auction room jocularly opened
the bidding at 500
He was promptly laughed into silence
and the first serious bid made was for
$4,000. This was jumped at once to
SIS 600. thence to 32i 900. and by thousands
upto S27 900. Then there were 81 900 jumrs
10 $50. 600 and then to s42 900 Then, with
alternate bids ranging from $3.50 to $50
the amount quickly reached $40, 900, which
was the undertaking price of Joseph
Widener Of Philadelphia
At that George ID. Smith put in his bid
for $50 COO for Mr.. Huntington. and the
books were knocked down to him at tha,
price
After Mr.. smith had announced tha,
the famous books were purchased for
Henry f. Huntington there was much
applause from the audience. The auc-
tioneer said that it was the highest price
ever paid for book anywhere and was
almost double the price paid for any book
the previous record price having beer
the S24, $50 brought by the Menz Psatel
III 1854
When the sale opened in the afternoon
there was present what was thought tC
te the most notable company of book
collectors and sellers that has gathered
N this country. Among them were
four famous dealers OF Europe who hac
chosen to come to New York in person
rather than take chances on a repre-
sentative bidding properly on the Hoe
treasures
there was Bernard Quartch, the Lon
don publisher and dealer from whom Mr.
Hoe bought his Gutenberg Bible. at 6
price supposed o have been about $40, 600
though IL was priced by Mr.. Quaritch a
$4,000. There was Nine. Theophile Belr
Of Pans, representing her husbands firm
and herself a bookbuycr and expert or
Illuminated manuscripts and incunabula
There were b. Meggs Of London and DR..
JosaTh Baer of Berlin, who is sometimes
called the Quaritch Of Germany.
Of Americans there was no end Her
bert Putnam, Librarian Of Congress
Eat in a corner, Interested in everything
but apparently doing no bidding Henr,
f. huntington, who recently bought th'
I. d. Church library at private sale for
about 3l,25O.OO sat beside George ID
smith, the dealer in rare books OF 4
Val street Archer NJ. Huntington wa
there too
Others were: Robert j. Collier. Finle,
Peter Dunne, ii. G. FolRer. Jr,, Miss Bell
Green, who is j. p. Morgan's librarian
Nnsiow Hagen. Gen. Brayton Ives
Beverly Chew, Harry 7. Peters, Mr.. ant
Ms Harry Payne Whitney. p. A. Valen
,'e Benjamin M.iThaw and Walter I
Wallace These in addition to roomfu
t' book dealers including members @
all The big publishing firms OF this cit
and come from Philadelphia. Boston an
moaE9 A representative OF the ial
University library bought two books
u'h"r colleges had bidders ready 10
--rh volumes as they wanted
beverly Chew had written an introduc
'"u 10 the catalogue which was scanne
'tt interest Mr.. Chew had once had