NOW READY. In demy 8vo., bound in buckram, uniform with BOOK- Constituting a Reference List of Subjects and, inci- "If money, as Anthony Trollope neatly put it, be the reward of labour, "The Index' will be of great value to all who possess or have access to "No well-conducted library should be without this useful and praiseworthy 'Supplies to a considerable extent the vacuum caused by the want of an "A work of independent and undoubted value, and should be in the hands "We cordially recognise the value of Mr. Jaggard's compilation, which is LONDON: ELLIOT STOCK, 62, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C. 12139 37209 INTRODUCTION. A CAREFUL analysis of the Sales reported in this volume would emphasise more forcibly than ever the demand that exists for what may be described as the Old English Classics, and for those comparatively modern works which will in all probability take rank with them in course of time. The high prices frequently realised for rare books of this class are invariably reported in the daily press, and the publicity thus given accounts, no doubt, for the large numbers that even yet find their way to the auction rooms. Not without reason did the auctioneers say that the undescribed work of Alexander Gallus, printed by Pynson in 1492, which will be found reported on page 479 as having realised £320, might “for the present, at least," be regarded as unique. This book had rested, practically unknown, for nearly three hundred and fifty years on the library shelves of Appleby Grammar School, and is the type of other books, perhaps of other copies of the same book, which will, if experience be any guide in these matters, assuredly emerge from the obscurity into which they have fallen. The same remarks apply to well-known books which for one reason or another lie hidden away, and, strange as it may appear, are only remembered when a record price is obtained, and proclaimed abroad as evidence of the increasing value of works which at one time excited comparatively little interest. One would have thought, for example, that all the early editions of Shakespeare's Plays, including the first four folios, would have been ear-marked and secured long ago, but this would not appear to be the case. The following pages disclose many references to single plays and collective translations in English, German, French and Dutch which until quite recently were by no means well known, and are only just beginning to be recognised as extremely important additions to the branch of literature to which they relate. Even the first four folios are not yet all absorbed by the public libraries of this and other countries. During the last season four copies of the first folio were sold, twelve of the second folio, four of the third, and no fewer than thirteen of the fourth. Many of these copies were, it is true, more or less defective; but that so many, whether perfect or not, should have made their appearance in the auction rooms during the course of a few short months is certainly very surprising. So also copies of the early editions of Milton's works appear to be coming into the market in increasing numbers, and the same remark applies to those of the Elizabethan and later dramatists, such as Marlowe, Shirley, Massinger and Beaumont and Fletcher, among many more. The comparatively modern English classics of Shelley, Byron, Keats, Sheridan, Goldsmith and others are also in great demand, and really good copies bring high prices. This is only to be expected, for they are on their way to join the others of which I have spoken, and as time goes on will be more and more identified with them in point of age, scarcity and other details which, when in combination with recognised ability, appeal with peculiar force to the bookman's fancy. The classes of books that attract at the moment may be roughly assigned to the departments of Archeology, the Drama, Poetry, Biography, Genealogy, Bibliography, History, Music, Voyages and Travels. On the other hand, Natural History, Science, Fiction, Agriculture and Sporting books generally seem to have fallen away in numbers and, to some extent at least, in price also. Americana have become very scarce, and the older and more important Theological works are more difficult to meet with than formerly. Original editions of the works of Dickens, Thackeray and other highly esteemed novelists maintain their position, but copies must be good and in their original covers, or they excite, for the most part, no sort of interest. Modern Art works occupy a rather unsettled position, but their tendency is to fall in the market, and the greatest care should be exercised so far as they are concerned. Closely allied to them are those older books with highly coloured plates which have recently been selling at greatly enhanced prices. These, too, should be carefully watched, as they come within the same category and may share the probable fate of the more modern productions which, however excellent in themselves, are really dependent for their position upon popular fancy, than which nothing is more unstable. During the past season some 44,000 lots of books have been sold, chiefly in London, and the total amount realised (nearly £140,000) discloses an average of £3 2s. 10d., or 6d. less than the average of 1902 and 5s. less than that of 1901, the record year in this respect. The following is a table of averages since 1893: 1893, £1 6s. 7d. 1896, £1 13s. 10d. 1899, ₤2 19s. 5d. 1902, £3 3s. 48. 1894, £1 8s. 5d. 1895, £I IIS. 4d. 1898, £2 15s. od. 1901, £3 7s. 10d. The Index to this volume of BOOK PRICES CURRENT has been improved by the addition, within brackets, of an increased number of what may be called "Publication dates," by means of which one edition of a book is distinguished from another at a glance. CROYDON, SURREY, J. H. SLATER. b |