reasons there stated, but special reference is made to it in order to put it upon record and to acknowledge it as being, even so far as it has progressed, the most important collection of books which has come into the market since the sale of the great Beckford Library in 1823 and later years. At the same time, it may well be doubted whether the record-breaking sums obtained for individual books at the Hoe sale were really justified by the present trend of the market, and it is certainly a curious fact that one book alone, "The Mazarin Bible," on vellum, should have realized £10,000—almost as much as was obtained for the entire library of Mr. Charles Butler, catalogued in 2,100 lots and containing very many volumes of quite exceptional interest. Rarity plus sentiment seems to have completely ousted utility from the field in all cases where colossal prices are in question. Another point to be noticed is the growing demand for what may be called "Literary Manuscripts," by which is meant works in MS. which are of an essentially literary character, ancient or modern, as distinguished from those decorated service books which have at all times attracted the attention of collectors. The coming of “Literary Manuscripts" has been comparatively recent in the sense that the full appreciation of them, as reflected in the high prices they often realise, is of modern origin. Such a sum as £451 for a single leaf of one of the Journals of Captain Cook (see post No. 8630) would have been regarded as impossible ten or a dozen years ago, though it is very doubtful whether the highwater mark has yet been reached even in that case, for competition is increasing, manuscripts are in their nature unique, and the supply is by no means equal to the demand. The average of £2 14s. 5d., disclosed by the season's book sales as reflected in this volume, may be described as fairly good. It is higher than that of the season 1909-10 (£2 9s. 1d.), but lower than that of 1908-9 (£3 11s. 10d.), and much lower than that of 1906-7 (£4 4s. 2d.), which was by far the highest on record. During the last two or three years great masses of cheap but by no means unimportant books have for some reason or other been thrown on the market, and the sums realised for these derelicts, for such they have unfortunately become in the passing of time, have frequently been almost negligible. They swell the total and depreciate the average, and this, perhaps, is the best commentary on the results of the more recent sales that can be furnished. Never, until utility is once more made the most important factor by those who gather many books around them, will this state of things be altered, and never till then will the scholar, as distinguished from the accumulator, have reason to complain that the best books are beyond his reach. THORNTON HEATH, SURREY, J. H. SLATER. |