Book Sales of 1896. By Temple Scott. (Bell and Sons.)—Mr.
Scott gives the particulars—i.e., the more important particulars— of some seventy sales, adding general notes as to the character of the sale, and special notes as to the various books, rise or fall in price, condition, and other matters. New crazes, if the expres- sion may be allowed, are developing themselves, and old ones are decaying. The works of Richard Jefferies have gone out of fashion. A " Pickwick " in the original numbers fetched .413 5s.; "Nicholas Nickleby," in the 138190 form, 43 18s.; the "Comic Histories of England and Rome," £6. A fine Livy (Gronovius), in four volumes morocco, fetched £2 14s.,—a lamentable falling off from old prices. An " extra illustrated" book, " Forster's Life of Dickens," was sold for 4252. It contained 282 portraits, 317 views of places, autograph letters, original drawings, &c., and was bound in eight volumes morocco. Pine's Horace sold for AS 10s. (The first edition is of course the valuable one, and is
marked by the misprint " postest " for " potest.") A Caxton (" Canterbury Tales ' ) realised £1,020. It was not perfect; indeed there are but two perfect copies in the world, one being in the British Museum. The volume is full of interesting matter.
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