The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1918-10-03
Where Rare Books Came From.

BOOK collecting is one of the sports
OF mlilionaires In this country, and the
zest shown in it is one of those few
tiings the war hasn't lessened 1t is
not SO In England, although we look to
that country for most of the tNngs,
even Americana, that figure with fabu-
.uus prices. The auction room where
a center of romance for many who find
mat there is something more in the
matter than the glamour of high fig
ures: Mr Clement H. Shorter writes in
the London Sphere Of a little volume
recently privately printed, called Notes
p bnos the History History Of sotheby,s"-the great
pook auction room Of London. Mr.
Shorter, with the enthusiasm Of fire.
| quenter, says that the author Of the
| DOCK. Mr.. G. T. Hobson. has told the
STORY with that dash of ro-
nance which must always obtain where
.ne DOCK auction is concerned" Here
is some or the romance:
The first book auction held in this
country took place in 1876, but the
nrst great book auctioneer was Samuel
BAKER, whose first sale was held in
4 Ill4, There were not regular book
i auctloneers or auction houses until his
time. In 1778 Baker was Joined by his
nephew. John Sotheby, and three gen
eratlons of Sothebys were associated
1 with the firm, the last of whom was an
author who wrote Ramblings in the
Clucldat1on of the Autograph of Mil
ton: He died in 1861 A Mr. John
, Wilkinson became partner in 1912 and
a Mr.. William Hodge in 1854, and thus
we nave the firm OF Sotheby, Wilkin-
son q Hodge, although not one of these
names is now in the business.
But TO return to the real romance
OF Sotheby's, its wonderful sales OF
books, connected with which it has is
"a a. TO
logs, Some of them, beautifully illus
trated. are SO interesting that one
binds them In ones library, especially
when they are concerned with the
books OF noteworthy people. The re-
cent Morrison sale was a case in point,
when the letter Of Mary Queen of Scots,
probably the most wonderful letter in
existence, was privately purchased for
/ the benefit of the nation, and when
the Nelson autographs and manu-
/ scripts, many of the letters being to Sir
William Hamilton, or to his wife. Lady
Hamilton. were knocked down for
e2,5OO.
The most interesting feature with
regard to these sales, as it strikes me
ls the large place which the Greek and
Latin classics played in the sales OF
the 18th century and the small place
they play in the modern world. But
the most amazing thing of all is the
great enhancement of prices under
modern commercial conditions, and
largely due, no doubt, to tho fact thai
the American millionaire is frequently
la great book buyer, although his
brother in England is rarely SO. This
y would account for the fact that one Of
Shakespeare's first folios sold for f4l
los. r$205l in 1893, and a copy fetched
$4,000 [$1S,O00l in 1907. Mr.. Hobsor
points out that a collection OF early
quarto plays sold in 1898 for f22 g.
[$110.75l, and that 1t would De con
day, and might easily fetch double o.
} treble that sum. When the sale o
, Henry Fietding's library took place II
1894, books with his autographed notes
fetched only few shillings.. Wherea
!, in 1911 the novelists copyright agree
! ment with his publisher sold FOR t l,ol
l[$5,075l.
zone of the most interesting thing
3 in this book is fac-simile OF one
each of the love letters OF Robert an
! Elizabeth Browning; COLLECTION
D letters which in 1913 sold for 46,oo
9 (s3215O). But the material provide
t infinite, and is worthy memento Q
l the firms change OF address from tn
g strand 20 the West End Of London,
4 change, however, which I PERSONAL
/ greatly regret. AS an inhabitant
n Fleet street, an occasional WISH 10 IN
l Sa1aErOOmS WncIl "llSS "SiS 80 49,
g mediate neighborhood was an agree
t abs pasti,ne, but to me the West I'm
h Of London is usually inaccessip 81,
t ana more so than ever now ina. IN
n taxlcab has departed from our street.
: Moreover. I greatly regret tnal tnss
$ sales should be held at tne AYR 81
p hour Of / o'clock I am quite sure tina
: Il ia not a wise decision which keeT
: IN this curious custom. From III
o is the conventional luncheon hour
8 the English public, and | can imagir
II that, fortified by good lunch' man ~
y buyers would bid more pr'skis y
,,cloclk !"