Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-07-28
Mew York
Letter

NEW YORK. July 28-Those can
ny book sleuths who hunt down rare
editions for hibliophiles are sher-
locks whose adventures are recount
ed.
They follow tireless trails over
the earth, often covering their
tracks to throw off rivals Except
IN the small world OF collectors, lit
tie Is knownof them. Their days are
spent proving through Uttered
Easements OF old book stores, ferret
ing through private Libraries and
running down uncertain clues.
There Is. to be sure, an under
ground" system OF obtaining tips,
even as in a detectives office and
there Is an endless g0Ssiping that
offtimes leads to a rich cache.
Also accident often plays an I'M
pcrtant part In the discovery OF
valued volumes a friend OF mine,
who is particularly expert on early
Americana, told me OF a recent
search that jumped from America
to France. While idling in front OF
q little Paris book stall he tum-
bled upon a first edition OF Benja-
min Franklin's Poor Richards Al
manac." He bought Ii 70 "a few
francs. though 1t Is worth a fortune
TO collectors.
He had another tale that was
quite the strangest / have ever en-
countered In bookdom. But before
retelling his story, let me explain
that Owen ID. Young, the financial
wizard and industrialist, Is also one
of the best known bibliophiles. also
that s'Tamerlane," in a certain edi-
ton that would hold little attrac-
ton for the average eye, is a most
valuable document.
Well, SO the story goes. there Is
a little secondhand bookShop In
the upper Bowery district OF New
York operated by a gent named
Schwartz
One day, some months ago. there
came into his place one of those
old ladies. out OF the lavender-and-
lace age. encountered now and then
In the Manhattan highways. They
wear ancient bonnets perched on
their heads; their hair appears 10
conceal an old-fashioned rat: their
dresses are OF the sort to be found
in Godey's Ladies' Book.
Seeming a bit nervous. the old
lady informed the bookdealer that
she was in need Of funds; that she
had a large library IN her Long
Island house. and would he come
and make a bid on it? she wasn't
sure he would be interested. .....
but, then. there might be something
he would want. Schwartz went.
quickly glanced over the number Of
books and offered to take several
hundred for something like $50.
He did not take time TO check the
list carefully and. when the books
were delivered TO his store. he plac-
ed them in piles of 20 on the floor.
Meanwhile a scout for a lower
Fifth Avenue concern, dealing in
rare books. had come by. The ex-
pert glanced at the first pile upon
the floor, and made a desperate
effort TO conceal his eagerneSS. For
on the very top was a copy of the
much-SOught "Tameraneln
II notice a couple OF fair bits or
Americana in this pile" he said
casually. Think / could turn them
over. Ill buy the whole pile.p
The books wer bought for a price
Slightly above that paid by Sch
wartz for the entire library. The old
book dealer thought he was in
great good fortune. Before nightfan
~Tamerlane" had been delivered to a
collector-and at a figure said to
have been 5000. Meanwhile an
underground tip had come to my
friend, who reached the experts
office too late-the book had been
sold. My friend was upset and wor-
ried. for he knew this was an item
for Owen Young's collection. With
in a week. 1t was in Young's pos
session.
And the price, I was told. was
$50.0O0l