Evening star., 1932-05-01
minent German Bibliophile, Soon to Become
ton of Fifteenth Century Books and the
Congress, in Which He Reminisces About
eh Generous Gifts to American Libraries,
the United States and Germany.
fCHER HOU1ERTH

Another time"-he was off on another
story-"I visited a Russian Orthodox Monas-
terry where 1 found a rare sheepskin-bound
incunabula in splendid condition, which
contained interesting records. Wishing very
much to have it, I asked the priest if he
would let buy it, but he only made three
crosses and announced that he couldn't sell.
All my arguments were in vain but in few
days I went back again to see if he had
weakened in his resolution.
I've made some reflection on what you
said the other day about getting this volume,
the priest said, and although 1 can't let you
have anything from this monastery, I can
direct you to the home of my uncle who might
have some similar old books that would
interest you.
And So" DR.. Vonbehr resumed, 4 went
to the uncles house only a few miles away.
Strangely enough, he seemed to be expecting
me. I noticed that the blinds were drawn
and that the room was so dark it was difficult
to see. But through the dimness, noticing the
very book that had been at the monastery, I
joyfully announced my discovery.
You have never seen that book before
solemnly announced the old man. OF course, it
was the very book 1 had seen in the monas
terry declared the doctor with a smile, "but
l didn't press the point and paid him 300
pounds in gold He insisted upon gold. 1t was
during the war and gold was difficult to
secure but I did finally get it for him.
know my onions" he laughed. 1T was a very
volume and I intended to have it no
matter what the difficulties"
IN Seattle, Wash, DR.. Vollbehr was passing
a shop window in which was a book that
looked very much like a fifteenth century
volume. OF course no book collector could
possibly resist such a sight. DR.. Vollbehr
hurried in to examine the rarity. 1t was very
rare old book, all right. but to his amazement,
when on opening 1t, he found that its interior
had been cut away, and in its stead lay
silver hip flask. Nevertheless the doctor
bought the rare case, hip flask and all, as a
curiosity.
Which, of all the books you have collected,
do you prize most highly?" queried.
II prize most highly, Of course, the Guten-
berg Bible which is, in my mind, the
the Incunabua Incunabulorum, book of the
books, or the choicest book in all Christendom.
Next to the Bible ranks the Missale Glagoliti-
cum printed in Venice, in 1483-the only
complete copy known of a precious monument
OF the Slovenic language. There are scattered
fragments, printed in Slovenic type
during the fifteenth century, but even the
library of the Vatican has only fragments.
This book is as priceless as it is unique"
And the greatest curiosity in the collection?"
"As the greatest curiosity in the Vollbehr
collection is to be considered the book bound
in human skin as far the exterior Of books
go. AS to the contents, the greatest curiosity
is certainly a book by Albertus Eyb contain
ing a treatise on the age-old question, if it
be advisable for a man to take unto himself
a spouse, or not? The book was printed at
Nuremberg in 1472 in really wonderful make
up. The learned canonic goes into the matter
very deeply on hundreds of pages, but comes
finally to the sad conclusion, that he does not
know himself what to do and what not to do.
Another curiosity is book which is new
testimony to the old saying that there is
nothing new under the sun, for this item
deals with the, in our times, so-often-heard
question, How do tell it to my children?'"
In speaking Of profane incunabula, DR..
Vollbehr recalled another story. "One day in
New York City, 200 girls came with their
professor to see my collection" he said THAT
gorgeous book, The Catholocon' was there and
SO I casually mentioned the fact that it was
the first profane book ever printed. BY
profane,' of course, We mean that it the
first book which did not have religious
material for its text-the first book for the
layman that was printed. Well, hardly had
I mentioned this than one of the girls tripped
up to me ard eagerly inquired: oh, doctor,
would you mind showing Of the
profanities?'
Il felt my face growing red" the doctor went
on, but I explained to her just what we mean
by profane incunabula, to which she replied
with great disgust, oh, is that all there is to
it?' and walked away
"One day in New York at my exhibit an
American man suddenly b-gan to raise a
terrific commotion He talked loudly and
kept excaiming, These books are a big fake.
They couldn't have been printed in 1855.
Don't you know he demanded exposively,
that Benjamin Franklin invented printing
and don't you know when he lived?" And DR..
Vollbehr was convulsed with laughter.
Just the other day woman appeared at
the Library Of Congress, and with very
serious expression, demanded of the astonished