£10,000 for a Book.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 10 April 1914, Page 8

£10,000 for a Book.

Rismarck was on one occasion pressed by a certain American ollicial to recommend his son for a diplomatic place. "He is a remarkable fellow," said the proud father. " lie speaks seven languages." "Indeed !" said Bismarck, who had not a high opinion of linguistic: acquirements. "What a wonderful head waiter he would make <"

WORTH £50 A PAGE. The late Mr. Pierpont Morgan has left among his vast collection of unique articles the only perfect copy in existence of Caxton's " Morte d"Arthur." It is one of the rarest books in the world, and fell to the late millionaire at the Hoe sale for the tremendous price of £8,500. That i's to say, each page is worth about £50. Some years ago, when the Antwerp Collection was sold at Sotheby's, a great American collector coveted the First Folio Shakespeare which was included in the sale. His agent travelled (3,000 miles to secure the treasure, and returned to the States with the great book. But he had left behind him the record price, JL.'UiOO. in 1812 this book fetched' 111 21 16s. There is. a story of the unearthing of a Caxton at Thorneck Hall, Lincolnshire. The butler was entrusted with the work of weeding out superfluous books. A perfect copy of Bame Juliana Berners's "Boke of St. Albans" was thrown aside and

sold to a pedlar for ninepence. The latter thought he was lucky when he sold it to a Gainsborough chemist for three shillings. It was soon sold to a bookseller for £2, and he sold it to another bookseller for C 7. It was subsequently sold to Sir Thomas (.'renville for £80. At the time of this transaction Dibdia valued this book, at £420, and in IRB2 a perfect copy changed hands for £680. The most valuable printed book in the world is the first ever issued from the press—a Guttenberg Bible, Hut, even in those early days there were "editions de luxe." An ordinary paper copy, with three leaves '•restored," fetched £2,960 the last time it appeared on the market, but at the Hoe sale a tremendous sensation was caused by the inclusion of a fine copy on vellum, printed by the very first printer. Dealers hurried like homing pigeons from all quarters of the globe to view this treasure and also to bid for it. It was finally secured by Henry E. Huntingdon, the greatest book-collector on the globe, for the record price of £10,000.