New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-25
HOES GUTENBERG BIBLE
IS SOLD FOR $4,000
Henry E. Huntington Buyer of
One of First Books from
Movable Type.
FIRST DAYS TOTAL $134,866
Famous Bible Bought Only After
Spirited Struggle with Jo-
seph e. Widener, of
PHILADELPHIA.

P' 49, w 10ObCty VI
Philadelphia.
Fifty thousand dollars for book
That was the record price which th'
first important work ever printed from
movable type brought at the second ses
sion of the sale Of the Robert Ho'
library. at the Anderson Auction Rooms
last night. That was the price 70
which tho Gutenberg Bible printed som'
time between the years 1850 and 145j
and one Of the scant dozen copies OF
velum now known to exist vas sold Z
Henry f. Huntington through the agenc.
of George D. Smith, a book dealer of thi
city
But that was not the only recorc
which was broken in the opening day o
the sale of the library. The total sale
for the day were more than ever before
They reached the grand total Of S134
SEC. of which S11OS9- ~ was bid at tn
evening session. During the day sixteer
books were sold for 81 900 or more. anc
twelve of these were sold in the even
ing. out Of total Of SIS books bid fo
at both sessions. 14S brought over $40
and SO more than $500.
The greatest price ever paid at an,
previous auction for book was S24. $50
brought by the Maintz Psalter. in 1884
at the sale of Sir John Therolds lbrarl
in London. It was expected that tn,
Gutenberg Bible would command prize
in excess Of the $4,000 which it II
thought that MFR Hoe paid for It in pur
chasing it from the London dealer. Ber
ago, but when the bids hegsn To ris'
without a break into the thirty anc
forty thousands the four hundred-o ode
people who filled the little auditorium
held their breath in awe.
First Bid Was Of 500.
The bidding had been spirited all TIT
evening. and excitement was tense wher
the two volumes of the famous Bible
were offered. Then came an anti-cli
max.
What am bid for this. the first Bible
printed" Mr.. Uodeson. the auctioneer
had asked.
Some one In the back of the room sale
500. and there was laugh.
Ten thousand dollars" came the sec
ond bid
There was a little applause. The bid
der was Mr. Smith
Fifteen thousand dollars" said Ber
nard Quaritch. Of the British Museum.
Twenty thousand dollars said a rep
resentative Of Dodd e. Livingston. act
ing for T. a. Valentine.
"Twenty-one thousand dollars" saic
Joseph f. Widener. of Philadelphia.
Then the bidding became brisker. Th'
bids came so quickly that 1T was impcs
sible To say where .hey came from.
When $4,000 was reached the audi
ence cheered the bidder. Mr.. Smith
heartily.
Cheers ss Bids Rise.
When $4,000 was reached in 81 .W
bids there was more applau use. Tha
amount was double the price raid 70
the same book at auction a few YEAR
age. and for more than Ny Hoe psi'
TO Bernard Quaritch, the father ~ M
man Of The same name who stopped bid
ding at sol 900 last night.
The suctioneer a. that point asked
those present 70 cease arplauding unit
the book had finally been sold.
Mr. Widener continued the bddni
with a figure of Sal loo; Mr. Smith raisec
him 81 900. They were alone in the fgh
by that time.
They kept on raising each other b.
$500 and $1,000 AZ q time until Mr.
Widener bid $4,000. That was me
rronptIv by Mr.. Smith with call o
$50. 900
There was a silence then. and the auc
,ioreer gazed about the room and said
This is the last chance YOU will hav
10 pnI'n1"" 'ilo p''f' i'' H-"i ""'
advance
There was no sound. The auctionee
then tapped the block with his bamme
and said. Sold for $4,000"
There was a wild outburst Of ap
plause.
"Mr. smith announces that the pur
chase Of the book is for Mr.. IftDry i
Huntingdon" said Mr.. Hodgson, am
there was more cheering.
The highest bidder at both session
Vas George ~. Smith OF the twelv,
books bringing more than $1,000 At TN
evening session, five went 10 him ~
most expensive volume ~ the evenin;
for $4,000. i'm a battle against Quartet
and the Rosenbach Company, of Phil
adelphi4 This was the Book Of ~. Al
ans. one Of the two Ierfect copies Of tn
first edition cXtant. the other being II
the Rylands Library, In England. II VA
The first English book in which colo
printing vas used, part Of it being
treatise on heraldry. containing III WOO,
cuts in red blue and black
: feature of the evening sale was ih
offering al q number ~ books in finn
bindings TO the collection of which Mr.
Hoe gave his most interested attention
Good Start in Afternoon
The afternoon session of the sale wen
oven beyond the expectations Of thos