The Edition of this Volume XXIII. of AMERICAN BOOKPRICES CURRENT is limited to Five Hundred and Eighty Copies BOOK-PRICES CURRENT A RECORD OF BOOKS, MANUSCRIPTS AND AUTOGRAPHS THE PRICES REALIZED COMPILED FROM THE NEW YORK 1917 PREFACE Τ HE entrance of the United States into the conflict which for the past three years has convulsed the world cannot fail to produce serious economic readjustments. The auction season of 1916-17, however, was far advanced when the final step was taken; and the change from neutrality to active participation came so gradually that its effects had been largely discounted, and the records made at the few remaining important sales show little or no falling off from the high figure set earlier in the season. The Robinson sale of rare Americana held on April 30 and May 1 at the Anderson Galleries is a case in point. This was, with perhaps one exception, the most important sale of the season, and the prices realized at it were remarkably high. Colonel Robinson was a heavy buyer at the Hoe sale, and, in most instances, the records at his sale showed an increase over cost. The sale of the library of the late Samuel H. Austin at the American Art Galleries, one week earlier, was also one of the most successful of the season, with prices holding well above the average. The Huntington sale of rare Americana at the Anderson Galleries on January 24-25, consisting of duplicates nearly all from the Church and Britwell Court collections, was the most sensational of the season, and was one of the most important offerings of Americana ever made in this country. New records were established for an extraordinary number of items, and the highest total for a single session since the Hoe sale was realized. Another feature of the past season was the offering of a relatively large number of modern books in foreign languages, chiefly French. A choice collection of rare editions, mostly of the great French writers of the nineteenth century, duplicates from Mr. H. E. Huntington's library, was sold in two sessions on November 21-22. Mr. James Carleton Young's collection of inscribed books V 320393 |