The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-19
Dealer Tells How H. E. Hunt
ingtOn Got Collection
for $1,5OO,OOO.
VOLUMES NOT UNPACKED
Incomplete Catalogues Received
Show Rare Library
Treasures.

NeorBe ~. SHltn SAID last night that ne
had received a cable message from the
Duke Of Devonshire's agents saying the
Duke had decided to make public at once
the facts Of his sale to Mr.. Smith Of the
best OF his library. Mr.. Smith. az told in
THE SUN OF yesterday. has resold the
books to Henry e. Huntington.
II now feel free to speak Of the sale"
Mr.. Smith said. THE story as It appeared
In THE SUN Is in all essentials correct
The price mentioned as paid by Mr.. Hunt
ington, s1,50o.oo0. Is the correct round
figure.
"A good part OF the collection. including
some Of the most priceless volumes. 10
already In this country. These books have
not yet been unpacked.
Il consider the Hamlet quarto Of 1908
the most valuable book In the world. not
even excepting the Gutenberg Bible, which
I bought for Mr.. Huntington at the Hoe
sale and which holds the worlds record at
$4,000.
Thinks Dock Worth 100000.
why 100000 is no more than a fair
value to put on the Hamlet Just con-
slider. there IL only one other copy In ex-
istence. and that is In the British Museum
where no amount Of money can buy II.
BESIDES. the British Museums copy lacks
the title page and the copy acquired by
Mr.. Huntington lacks only the last
| leaf.
Until the inventories arrive and we I'M
pack the books that have reached America
/ 4 ms h.t In Nc
York. II is my impression that Mr.. Hunt
ington intends to keep the whole collection
| In this city, housing It with the gems of
the Hoe sale and the Church and Chew
/ libraries at his home at Fifth avenue and
Fifty-seventh street
Let me repeat that undertook the
purchase on my own responsibility and did
not resell the books to Mr.. Huntington
until after l had completed the deal for
myself"
! Dealers and collectors throughout the
city express satisfaction that the Devon
shire books are to come to America. Fred
erick Wheeler. managing partner OF J.
| Pearson x Co. London. now In New York
with half a million dollars worth OF rare
books for private collections. said:
I'm England We had not known that the
Devonshire books were in the market.
should be completely at a loss to assign a
reason for the Dukes selling
Expect. No Outcry In Enslaaa.
"Since the sale is completed I think il
unlikely that there will be much outcry
against the books leaving England. I'm.
der the circumstances there could be nc
effectuai protest"
Chatsworth House, where the Devon
shire books are kept. is not TO be denuded
Of all its volumes. The terms OF the sale
provide that Mr.. Smith shall acquire al
OF the Sbakespear!ana. the 1000 earl,
English plays by Jonson. Marlowe anC
others. the twenty-five Caxtons and 9
certain number of other works to be sc
iected after recataloguing is finished.
The prayer book OF King Henry VII
Of England Is definitely included In I'll,
sale, but the benedictionai OF st. Ethel
void. many colored manuscript IS,
years old. will probably be left at Chats
worth. Mr. Huntington may como int
possession Of the prayer book OF Charlie.
l., with his arms on the binding. the yer,
book that the unfortunate monarch Il
! said to have carried to the scafYoid wher
he was beheaded.
Receives Incomplete Catalogues.
Incomplete catalogues OF the books sol,
' show that America " to get all OF tn
books gathered by the great actor Johi
Philip Kemble. brother OF Mrs. Siddons
In addition to the Hamlet" OF 100
these include Hamlet quartos Of 1904
1911 and 1887 and one undated: kim
Henry w." quartos of 1893. 1899. 1905
1913, &C. King Henry "" Of 1900. 100
and 1917: the rare first Issue Of KIM
Lear" and the Richard H." quartos. goo
copies Of which are almost unheard OF
Loves Labour Lost" "A Midsumme
Nights Dream and Romeo and Juliet
, quartos are In the lot,
, OF some OF these there are not NOR
: than two. three or four copies in all tn
world Each one Is worth from $500
7 UP. There Is. besides, the only know
: copy of 'The Tanning of the Shrew
U594), which may be worth more tina
. any except the first Hamlet"
: The four folios OF Shakespeare. all 81
y ccpt the first in perfect condition. are ir
n cluded. Then come the mass of earl
j English plays and forty volumes OF rar
playbills.
John Philip Kemble. who gathered Il
gether this collection OF Shakespeare, wa
go great as Hamlet that Sir Joshua Reyr
olds painted his portrait rs the Prince {
Denmark. Sir Joshua also painted III
= beautiful Duchess OF Devonshire, who's
/ son bought kemble's books. This sol
= the sixth Duke. was close friend {
4 Thackersy. Dickens and Leigh Hunt.
/. Caxtoms Compare with MOrsan's.
OF the twenty-five Caxtons one soar
}, above all the rest and disputes honoI
!, with the Caxtons gathered by the lal
q J. Pierpont Morgan. 1t Ia supposed TO
:. the first book printed In the English Lar
: guage. Elisabeth Grey. Queen Of Edwar