The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-07
Rare Books
]. Francis Ruggles. Bibliopolo Experto
Lo, the ulster County Gazette"
What the Dealers Are Doing

Francis Ruggles and were his patrons, as
were many other collectors and dealers all
over the world, by whom he was held in
much esteem.
With Charlie Everitt giving more of his
time to playing tennis than to his store, one
gets a pretty good notion of the condition
of business at this particular time.
Isaac Mendoza, the Ann street book seller,
has purchased the historical library of the
late W. S. Pelletreau of Long Island.
The records of the United States Census
show nearly 1000 book sellers in the entire
country, of whom some $500 are engaged in
the old book trade. Even in small towns
there are shops exclusively devoted to this
line.
many valuable photographers that have been
issued by the Grolier Club of this city.
J. c. Grasberger of Philadelphia was in
town last week hunting for Lewis Carroll
items, especially the leaflets.
Major George Haven Putnam has been
making q number of addresses in London
recently, in one Of which he tells of his eff
forts to bring this country into the war.
Book dealers can facilitate the work of
this department of Books and the Book
World by sending in news items of general
interest
Catalogue making is now going on at
great rate. The fall win be busy season.
The Dear Old Fraud.
Our old friend, the Ulster County Gazette,
the real genuine article, has again made
its bow. For some weeks Chris Gerhardt
has been running an advertisement on this
page asking for early and unusual American
imprints- A few days ago some ladies made
their appearance in his studio, producing
from eapacious packet n copy Of this ex-
ceedingiy rare newspaper, its reversed col
umn rules showing plainly the habiliments
of woe for the death of the immortal
Washington.
"This paper has been IN our family for
more than a hundred years, and only be
cause we are now in much need arc we in
duced to offer it for sale. Our price is 800
Would you not like to buy it!'
Mr.. G. held out his hand to take the
paper for examination. The ladies firmly
declined to permit the sacred sheet to be
prpfaned by thetouch of q book seller. On
being informed he would only buy after he
had made an examination they assented.
The "once over" established it to I've like
the many hundreds of other copies that have
been offered in the last twenty five years-a
fac -simile.
There is another old friend that appears
neutrality-suspicious. l, No. l of THE Sun.
A few years ago a dealer not more than a
hundred miles from the Public Library on
Fifth avenue was induced to give SO for
copy of this rare number. As the dealer
who made the purchase was a very shrewd
man, the seller could not refrain from tell
ing Of the sale he had made, and it was
many days before the purchaser heard the
last of it.
Replies to Questions.
L. Z. Y. T., Pennington, n. 1.-THE Fer
non Gallery has sold for very much more in
the past than it would bring to day, copies
having been sold the past season for $3.50
a volume.
r. II. s., New York-The dealer referred
to in our answer to your request for infor-
nation rs to 2. II. J. Baume, is W. A.
Cough, % West Forty second street, who
will be glad to show you the manuscript
book, without obligation on your part to
purchase it.
An English Idea.
The English book trade is usually pretty
well advanced when it comes TO adopting
methods that promote good fellowship, all
or any of which nigh. be put in operation
on this side of the ocean. One that is of
especial interest and value is the Book Trade
Provident Society, organized to encourage
thrift among tradesmen and their employees
and to effect insurance on their lives. The