Book Prices Current. Vol. VIII. (Elliot Stock.)—The editor prefixes an
interesting preface, from which we gather, among other things, that in the matter of book-values there is a certain increase of sanity in mankind. It is possible, he thinks, that "collectors of the immediate future may universally associate utility with rarity." That would be an admirable result. With other things that would disappear would be certain quite valueless books, the normal demand for which might be, say, ten, but of which two hundred are bought because only two hundred are printed. There are, as usual, some curious items. A first edition of " The Compleat Angler " sold for 4150 ; another, imperfect, fetched only 410. A first edition of the " Elegy in a Country Churchyard," uncut, was sold for 474. (It was published at 6d.) How curious, when one comes to reflect, is that " uncut"! Because no one had ever read the book for one hundred and forty-three years, its value is immensely multiplied. "Forty- three Elzevirs " go for 41 4s.,— a fraction over 6d. each. Yet not a quarter of a century ago they would have fetched ten times the price, or more. The ancient classic authors
are, indeed, as the editor says, "sadly neglected." Milton's copy of " Lycophronos Alexandra," with his autograph and marginal notes in his handwriting, was sold for £90, an in. crease of £30 on its last price. Sir Walter Scott's MS. of " Anne of Geierstein " fetched £300, and various fragments, the opening- chapters of " Ivanhoe," canto iii. of " The Bridal of Triermain," &c., £215. But forty-two volumes of Sir Walter's novels, all first editions, went for less than a shilling per volume! The general result of the year's sales was that 51,000 lots produced £72,472. It is noticeable that the stock of Mr. Toovey (a well-known book- seller) fetched 47,090 3s. 6d. for 3,200 lots, and a special sale of sporting books realised £966 16s. for 425 lots. It is to be observed that the books of the professional buyer realised 42 4s. 5d. per lot, while the general sales show an average of 41 8s. 5d.
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