Book collecting is the collecting of books. While many book lovers (bibliophiles) accumulate volumes for a personal library, the serious book collector is interested in the physical books themselves, not just their content. For instance, many collectors seek out first editions of books, or acquire copies of every work written by a particular author or on a particular subject. The hobby of collecting consists of acquiring specific items based on a particular interest of the collector. ... Look up book in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Bibliophilia is the love of books; a bibliophile is a lover of books. ... Modern-style library In the traditional sense of the word, a library is a collection of books and periodicals. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Basic collecting is quite easy; there are billions of books in the world, and thousands of bookstores, both physical and virtual (Internet). There is an active market in all types of works, going all the way back to illuminated manuscripts. While manuscript books are all expensive, even incunabula (books printed in the 15th century) can be found for several hundred US dollars, and century-old books often cost under ten dollars. A bookstore. ... In the strictest definition of illuminated manuscript, only manuscripts decorated with gold or silver, like this miniature of Christ in Majesty from the Aberdeen Bestiary (folio 4v), would be considered illuminated. ... A page from a rare Blackletter Bible (1497) printed in Strassburg by J.R.Grueninger. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ...

Some inexpensive collectible books

Advanced collectors may pursue the great rarities; the Gutenberg Bible and Shakespeare's First Folio are famous, and pricey. Unusual items include the "book" of squares of native textiles brought back from the South Seas by Captain Cook. More practical for the collector of average means is to collect all the first editions of a favorite modern author. ImageMetadata File history File links Book_collection. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Book_collection. ... The Gutenberg bible owned by the U.S. Library of Congress The Gutenberg Bible (also known as the 42-line Bible, and as the Mazarin Bible) is a print of the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible that was printed by its namesake, Johann Gutenberg, in Mainz, Germany. ... The First Folio is the name given to the first published collection of William Shakespeares plays. ... James Cook, portrait by Nathaniel Dance, c. ...

Purpose and value

Book collecting is the bringing together of books which in their contents, their form or the history of the individual copy possess some element of permanent interest, and either actually or prospectively are rare, in the sense of being difficult to procure. This qualification of rarity, which figures much too largely in the popular view of book-collecting, is entirely subordinate to that of interest, for the rarity of a book devoid of interest is a matter of no concern. On the other hand, so long as a book (or anything else) is and appears likely to continue to be easily procurable at any moment, no one has any reason for collecting it. The anticipation that it will always be easily procurable is often unfounded, but, so long as the anticipation exists, it restrains collecting, with the result that horn-books are much rarer than First Folio Shakespeares. It has even been laid down that the ultimate rarity of books varies in the inverse ratio of the number of copies originally printed, and though the generalization is a little sweeping, it is not far from the truth. To triumph over small difficulties being the chief element in games of skill, the different varieties of book-collecting, which offer almost as many varieties of grades of difficulty, make excellent hobbies. But in its essence the pastime of a book-collector is identical with the official work of the curator of a museum, and thus also with one branch of the duties of the librarian of any library of respectable age. In its inception every library is a literary workshop, with more or less of a garden or recreation ground attached according as its managers are influenced by the humanities or by a narrow conception of utility. As the library grows, the books and editions which have been the tools of one generation pass out of use, and it becomes largely a depository or storehouse of a stock, much of which is dead. But from out of this seemingly dead stock preserved at haphazard, critics and antiquaries gradually pick out books which they find to be still alive. Of some of these the interest cannot be reproduced in its entirety by any mere reprint, and it is this salvage which forms the literary museum. Book-collectors are privileged to leap at once to this stage in their relations with books, using the dealers shops and catalogues as depositories from which to pick the books which will best fit with the aim or central idea of their collection. Look up book in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Rarities is a compilation album of rare songs as well as live songs released by the band Presidents of the United States of America in 1997. ... In Law, a hornbook is a primer that gives a basic overview of a particular area of law. ... The First Folio is the name given to the first published collection of William Shakespeares plays. ... William Shakespeare—born April 1564; baptised April 26, 1564; died April 23, 1616 (O.S.), May 3, 1616 (N.S.)—has a reputation as the greatest of all writers in English. ...

For in the modern private collection, as in the modern museum, the need for a central idea must be fully recognized. Neither the collector nor the curator can be content to keep a mere curiosity-shop. It is the collector's business to illustrate his central idea by his choice of examples, by the care with which he describes them and the skill with which they are arranged. In all these matters many amateurs rival, if they do not outstrip, the professional curators and librarians, and not seldom their collections are made with a view to their ultimate transference to public ownership. In any case it is by the zeal of collectors that books which otherwise would have perished from neglect are discovered, cared for and preserved, and those who achieve these results certainly deserve well of the community.

History of Anglo-European book collecting

Whenever a high degree of civilization has been attained, book-lovers have multiplied, and to the student with his modest desire to read his favorite author in a well-written or well-printed copy there has been added a class of owners suspected of caring more for the externals of books than for the enjoyment to be obtained by reading them. But although adumbrations of it existed under the Roman Empire and towards the end of the Middle Ages, book-collecting, as it is now understood, is essentially of modern growth. A glance through what must be regarded as the medieval textbook on the love of books (bibliophily), the Philobiblon (1345), attributed to Richard de Bury, shows that it deals almost exclusively with the delights of literature, and Sebastian Brant's attack on the book-fool, written a century and a half later, demonstrates nothing more than that the possession of books is a poor substitute for learning. This is so obviously true that, before book-collecting in the modern sense can begin, it is essential that there should be no lack of books to read, just as until cups and saucers became plentiful there was no room for the collector of old china. Even when the invention of printing had reduced the cost of books by some 80 percent, book-collectors did not immediately appear. For other uses, see Roman Empire (disambiguation) The Roman Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Ancient Roman polity in the centuries following its reorganization under the leadership of Octavian (better known as Augustus), until its radical reformation in what was later to be known as the Byzantine... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ... Two textbooks A textbook is a manual of instruction or a standard book in any branch of study. ... Richard Aungerville (or Aungervyle) (January 24, 1287 - April 14, 1345), commonly known as Richard de Bury, was an English writer and bishop, He was born near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, the son of Sir Richard Aungervyle, who was descended from one of William the Conquerors men. ... Sebastian Brant (also Brandt) (1457 - May 10, 1521), German humanist and satirist, was born at Strassburg. ...

There is a natural temptation to imagine that the early book-owners, whose libraries have enriched modern collectors with some of their best-known treasures, must necessarily have been collectors themselves. This is far from being the case. Hardly a book of all that Jan Grolier (1479-1565) caused to be bound so tastefully for himself and his friends reveals any antiquarian instincts in its liberal owner, who bought partly to encourage the best printers of his day, partly to provide his friends with the most recent fruits of Renaissance scholarship. Events January 20 - Ferdinand II ascends the throne of Aragon and rules together with his wife Isabella, queen of Castile over most of the Iberian peninsula. ... Events March 1 - the city of Rio de Janeiro is founded April 27 - Cebu City is established becoming the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines. ... By region Italian Renaissance Spanish Renaissance Northern Renaissance French Renaissance German Renaissance English Renaissance The Renaissance, also known as Il Rinascimento (in Italian), was an influential cultural movement which brought about a period of scientific revolution and artistic transformation, at the dawn of modern European history. ...

In England Archbishop Cranmer, the Lords Arundel and Lumley, and Henry, Prince of Wales¹ (1594-1612), in France the famous historian Jacques Auguste de Thou (1553-1617), brought together the best books of their day in all departments of learned literature, put them into handsome leather jackets, and enriched them with their coats of arms, heraldic badges or other marks of possession. But they brought their books together for use and study, to be read by themselves and by the scholars who frequented their houses, and no evidence has been produced that they appreciated what a collector might now call the points of a book other than its fine condition and literary or informational merits. Again, not a few other more or less famous men have been dubbed collectors on the score of a scanty shelf-full of volumes known to have been stamped with their arms. Collecting, as distinct both from the formation of working libraries and from casual ownership of this latter kind, may perhaps be said to have begun in England at the time of the antiquarian reaction produced by the book massacres when the monasteries were dissolved by Henry VIII, and the university and college libraries and the parish service books were plundered and stripped by the commissioners of Edward VI. Wikimedia Commons has media related to: England Travel guide to England from Wikitravel English language English law English (people) List of monarchs of England – Kings of England family tree List of English people Angeln (region in northern Germany, presumably the origin of the Angles for whom England is named) UK... Thomas Cranmer (July 2, 1489 – March 21, 1556) was the Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of the English kings Henry VIII and Edward VI. Born in 1489 at Nottingham, Cranmer was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge and became a priest following the death of his first wife. ... The oldest extant Earldom (and perhaps the oldest extant title) in the English peerage is the Earldom of Arundel currently held by the Duke of Norfolk, and used as a courtesy title by his heir. ... For other people known as Henry, Prince of Wales see Henry, Prince of Wales (disambiguation) Henry Frederick Stuart, Prince of Wales ( February 19, 1594 - November 6, 1612) was the eldest son of King James VI of Scotland/ James I of England and Anne of Denmark. ... Events February 27 - Henry IV is crowned King of France at Rheims. ... Events January 20 - Mathias becomes Holy Roman Emperor. ... Jacques Auguste de Thou (Thuanus) (1553 - May 7, 1617) was a French historian. ... // Events June 26 - Christs Hospital in London gets a Royal Charter July 6 - Edward VI of England dies July 10 - Lady Jane Grey is proclaimed Queen of England - for the next nine days July 18 - Lord Mayor of London proclaims Queen Mary as the rightful Queen - Lady Jane Grey... Events Change of emperor of the Ottoman Empire from Ahmed I (1603-1617) to Mustafa I (1617-1623). ... The Dissolution of the Monasteries (referred to by Roman Catholic writers as the Suppression of the Monasteries) was the formal process, taking place between 1538 and 1541, by which King Henry VIII confiscated the property of the Roman Catholic monastic institutions in England and took them to himself, as the... Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England and Lord of Ireland (later King of Ireland) from 22 April 1509 until his death. ... Edward Tudor redirects here; for another (though unlikely) Edward Tudor, see a putative younger son of Henry VII of England, thus this Edwards uncle if existed Edward VI (12 October 1537–6 July 1553) was King of England and King of Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. ...

To rescue good books from perishing is one of the main objects of book-collecting, and when Archbishop Parker and Sir Robert Cotton set to work to gather what they could of the scattered records of English statecraft and literature, and of the decorative art bestowed so lavishly on the books of public and private devotion, they were book-collectors in a sense and on a scale to which few of their modern imitators can pretend. Men of more slender purses, and armed with none of Archbishop Parker's special powers, worked according to their ability on similar lines. Matthew Parker Matthew Parker (August 6, 1504 - May 17, 1575) was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1559. ... Portrait of Robert Cotton, commissioned 1626 and attributed to Cornelius Johnson (or Janssen), (1593-1661). ...

Humphrey Dyson (1582-1633), an Elizabethan notary, who collected contemporary proclamations and books from the early English presses, and George Thomason (d. 1666), the bookseller who bought, stored and catalogued all the pamphlet literature of the English Civil War, were mindful of the future historians of the days in which they lived. By the end of the 17th century book-collecting was in full swing all over Europe, and much of its apparatus had come into existence. In 1676 book auctions were introduced into England from Holland, and soon we can trace in priced catalogues the beginning of a taste for Caxtons, and the books prized by collectors slowly fought their way up from amid the heavy volumes of theology by which they were at first overwhelmed. Events January 15 - Russia cedes Livonia and Estonia to Poland February 24 - Pope Gregory XIII implements the Gregorian Calendar. ... Events February 13 - Galileo Galilei arrives in Rome for his trial before the Inquisition. ... The Elizabethan Era is the period associated with the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558 - 1603) and is often considered to be a golden age in English history. ... Notary can refer to either of the following two professions: Notary public. ... Events September 2 - Great Fire of London: A large fire breaks out in London in the house of Charles IIs baker on Pudding Lane near London Bridge. ... Categories: Bookstores | Stub ... The term English Civil War (or Wars) refers to the series of armed conflicts and political machinations which took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... A satellite composite image of Europe // Etymology Picture of Europa, carried away by bull-shaped Zeus. ... Events January 29 - Feodor III becomes Tsar of Russia First measurement of the speed of light, by Ole Rømer Bacons Rebellion Russo-Turkish Wars commence. ... Holland is a region in the central-western part of the Netherlands. ... William Caxton (c. ...

While book-collecting thus came into existence it was rather as an added grace in the formation of a fine library than as a separate pursuit. Almost all the large book-buyers of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries bought with a public object, or were rewarded for their zeal by their treasures being thought worthy of a public resting-place. (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ...

Sir Thomas Smith (1513-1577) bequeathed his books to Queens' College, Cambridge; Archbishop Parker's were left under severe restrictions to Corpus Christi College in the same university; Sir Thomas Bodley refounded during his lifetime the library at Oxford University, to which also Archbishop Laud gave liberally and Selden bequeathed his books. The library of Archbishop Williams went to St John's College, Cambridge; that of Archbishop Ussher was bought for Trinity College, Dublin. The mathematical and scientific books of Thomas Howard, Earl of Norfolk (1586-1646), were given by his grandson to the Royal Society. The heraldic collections of Ralph Sheldon (1623-1684) to Heralds' College; the library in which Samuel Pepys took so much pleasure went to Magdalene College, Cambridge. Bishop Moore's books, including a little volume of Caxton quartos, almost all unique, were bought by George I and presented to the university library at Cambridge. Archbishop Marsh (1638-1713), who had previously bought Stillingfleet's printed books (his manuscripts went to Oxford), founded a library at Dublin. The immense accumulations of Thomas Rawlinson (1681-1725), brother of clergyman and antiquary Richard Rawlinson (1690-1755), provided materials for a series of auctions, and Harley's printed books were sold to Osborne the bookseller. But the trend was all towards public ownership. Sir Thomas Smith (December 23, 1513–August 12, 1577), was an English scholar and diplomat. ... Events January 20 - Christian II becomes King of Denmark and Norway. ... Events March 17 - formation of the Cathay Company to send Martin Frobisher back to the New World for more gold May 28 - Publication of the Bergen Book, better known as the Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord, one of the Lutheran confessional writings. ... Full name The Queens College of Saint Margaret and Saint Bernard, commonly called Queens College, in the University of Cambridge Motto Floreat Domus May this House Flourish Named after - Previous names - Established 1448 Sister College Pembroke College President Lord Eatwell Location Silver Street Undergraduates 490 Graduates 270 Homepage Boatclub... Full name The College of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary in Cambridge Motto There is a toast, Floreat antiqua domus (May the old house flourish), from which the colleges nickname, Old House, is derived Named after The citys Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin... Thomas Bodley Sir Thomas Bodley (March 2, 1545 - January 28, 1613), was an English diplomat and scholar, founder of the Bodleian Library, Oxford. ... The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford in England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... William Laud (October 7, 1573 – January 10, 1645) was Archbishop of Canterbury and a fervent supporter of Charles I of England whom he encouraged to believe in the Divine Right of Kings. ... John Selden (December 16, 1584 - November 30, 1654) was an English jurist, legal antiquary and oriental scholar. ... John Williams (1582–1650) was a British clergyman and political advisor to King James I. He served as lord keeper and Archbishop of York. ... Full name The College of Saint John the Evangelist of the University of Cambridge Motto - Named after The Hospital of Saint John the Evangelist, Cambridge, named after John the Evangelist Previous names - Established 1511 Sister College(s) Balliol College, Oxford Trinity College, Dublin Master Prof. ... James Ussher (also spelled Usher) (January 4, 1581–March 21, 1656) was Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland between 1625–1656 and a prolific religious scholar who most famously published a chronology which dated creation from 4004 BC. Ussher was born in Dublin, Ireland into a well-to... The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin or more commonly Trinity College, Dublin was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I, and is the only constituent college of the University of Dublin, Irelands oldest university. ... Dublin (Irish: Baile Átha Cliath), is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Ireland, located near the midpoint of Irelands east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region. ... Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel, 4th Earl of Surrey and 1st Earl of Norfolk (7 July 1586 - 4 October 1646), was a prominent English courtier during the reigns of King James I and King Charles I but made his name as an art collector rather than a politician. ... 1586 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. ... // Events The Westminster Confession of Faith Ongoing events English Civil War (1642-1649) Births February 4 - Hans Erasmus Aßmann, Freiherr von Abschatz, German statesman and poet (d. ... The premises of the Royal Society in London. ... Events August 6 - Pope Urban VIII is elected to the Papacy. ... Events France under Louis XIV makes Truce of Ratisbon separately with the Empire and Spain. ... The Colleges own coat of arms was granted in 1484. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Full name The College of Saint Mary Magdalene Motto Garde ta Foy Keep your Faith Named after Mary Magdalene Previous names - Established 1428 Sister College Magdalen College Master Duncan Robinson Location Magdalene Street Undergraduates 335 Graduates 169 Homepage Boatclub Magdalene College (pronounced ) was founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hostel... John Moore (1646-1714) was an English cleric, scholar, and book collector. ... Quarto has several meanings: In bookbinding and publishing, quarto indicates the book size which results when four leaves of the book are created from a standard size sheet of paper. ... George I King of Great Britain and Ireland George I (George Ludwig von Guelph-dEste) (28 May 1660–11 June 1727) was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Hanover) from 23 January 1698, and King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 1 August 1714, until his death. ... Narcissus Marsh (1638-1713) was an archbishop of Dublin and Armagh. ... Events March 29 - Swedish colonists establish first settlement in Delaware, called New Sweden. ... // Events April 11 - War of the Spanish Succession: Treaty of Utrecht June 23 - French residents of Acadia given one year to declare allegiance to Britain or leave Nova Scotia Canada first Orrery built by George Graham Ongoing events Great Northern War (1700-1721) War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713... Edward Stillingfleet (1635 - 1699) was a British theologian. ... Events March 4 - Charles II of England grants a land charter to William Penn for the area that will later become Pennsylvania. ... Events February 8 - Catherine I became empress of Russia February 20 - The first reported case of white men scalping Native Americans takes place in New Hampshire colony. ... Richard Rawlinson (February 3, 1690 - April 6, 1755) was an English clergyman and antiquary. ... Events Giovanni Domenico Cassini observes differential rotation within Jupiters atmosphere. ... 1755 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds (February 20, 1631 - July 26, 1712), English statesman, commonly known also by his earlier title of Earl of Danby, son of Sir Edward Osborne, Bart. ...

While Richard Rawlinson allowed his brother's books to be sold, the best of his own were bequeathed to Oxford, and the Harleian MSS were offered to the nation at a sum far below their value. A similar offer of the great collections formed by Sir Hans Sloane, including some 50,000 printed books, together with the need for taking better care of what remained of the Cotton manuscripts, vested in trustees for public use in 1702 and partially destroyed by fire in 1731, led to the foundation of the British Museum in 1753, and this on its opening in 1757 was almost immediately enriched by George II's gift of the old royal library, formed by the kings and queens of England from Henry VII to Charles II, and by Henry, Prince of Wales, son of James VI and I, who had bought the books belonging to Archbishop Cranmer and Lords Arundel and Lumley. Hans Sloane. ... Events March 8 - William III died; Princess Anne Stuart becomes Queen Anne of England, Scotland and Ireland. ... Events 10 Downing Street becomes the official residence of the United Kingdoms Prime Minister when Robert Walpole moves in. ... The main entrance to the British Museum The British Museum in London is the United Kingdoms - and one of the worlds - largest and most important museums of human history and culture. ... 1753 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1757 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... George II (George Augustus) (10 November 1683–25 October 1760) was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Hanover) and Archtreasurer and Prince-Elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death. ... Henry VII (January 28, 1457 – April 21, 1509), King of England, Lord of Ireland (August 22, 1485 – April 21, 1509), was the founder of the Tudor dynasty. ... Charles II (29 May 1630–6 February 1685) was the King of England, King of Scots, and King of Ireland from 30 January 1649 (retrospectively de jure) or 29 May 1660 (de facto) until his death. ... For other people known as Henry, Prince of Wales see Henry, Prince of Wales (disambiguation) Henry Frederick Stuart, Prince of Wales (February 19, 1594 - November 6, 1612) was the eldest son of King James VI of Scotland/James I of England and Anne of Denmark. ... James VI of Scotland and James I of England and Ireland (occasionally known as King James the Vain) (Charles James) (19 June 1566–27 March 1625) was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland. ...

A few notable book-buyers could not afford to bequeath their treasures to libraries, e.g. Richard Smith (1590-1675), Secondary of the Poultry Compter, at whose book-sale (1682) a dozen Caxtons sold, Dr. Francis Bernard (1627-1698), Narcissus Luttrell (1657-1732) and Dr. Richard Mead (1673-1754). At the opposite end of the scale, in Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland and Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke, we have early examples of the attempts, seldom successful, of book-loving peers to make their libraries into permanent heirlooms. But as has been said, the drift up to 1760 was all towards public ownership, and the libraries were for the most part general in character, though the interest in typographical antiquities was already well marked. The following men have had the name Richard Smith: Richard Smith (delegate) (1735-1803), a lawyer and New Jersey delegate to the Continental Congress. ... Events March 14 - Battle of Ivry - Henry IV of France again defeats the forces of the Catholic League under the Duc de Mayenne. ... Events January 5 - The Battle of Turckeim June 18 - Battle of Fehrbellin August 10 - King Charles II of England places the foundation stone of the Royal Greenwich Observatory in London - construction begins November 11 - Guru Gobind Singh becomes the Tenth Guru of the Sikhs. ... Events March 11 – Chelsea hospital for soldiers is founded in England May 6 - Louis XIV of France moves his court to Versailles. ... Events A Dutch ship makes the first recorded sighting of the coast of South Australia. ... Events January 4 - Palace of Whitehall in London is destroyed by fire. ... Narcissus Luttrell (1657–1732) was an English historian, diarist, and bibliographer. ... Events January 8 - Miles Sindercombe, would-be-assassin of Oliver Cromwell, and his group are captured in London February - Admiral Robert Blake defeats the Spanish West Indian Fleet in a battle over the seizure of Jamaica. ... Events February 23 - First performance of Handels Orlando, in London June 9 - James Oglethorpe is granted a royal charter for the colony of Georgia. ... Richard Mead (11 August 1673 - 16 February 1754) was an English physician. ... Events The English Test Act was passed. ... 1754 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland (c. ... Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke, 5th Earl of Montgomery (c. ...

When George III came to the throne he found himself bookless, and the magnificent library of over 80,000 books and pamphlets and 440 manuscripts which he accumulated shows on a large scale the catholic and literary spirit of the book-lovers of his day. As befitted the library of a British monarch it was rich in English classics as well as in those of Greece and Rome, and the typographical first-fruits of Mainz, Rome and Venice were balanced by numerous works from the first presses of Westminster, London and Oxford. This noble library passed in 1823 to the British Museum, which had already received the much smaller but carefully chosen collection of the Rev. C.M. Cracherode (1730-1799), and in 1846 was further enriched by the wonderful library formed by Thomas Grenville (1755-1846), the last of its great book-loving benefactors, who died in that year, aged 91. George III (George William Frederick Hanover) (4 June 1738 – 29 January 1820) was King of Great Britain, and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until 1 January 1801, and thereafter King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death. ... Mainz (French: Mayence) is a city in Germany and the capital of the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. ... City motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus – SPQR (The Senate and the People of Rome) Founded 21 April 753 BC mythical, 1st millennium BC Region Latium Mayor Walter Veltroni (Left-Wing Democrats) Area  - City Proper  1290 km² Population  - City (2004)  - Metropolitan  - Density (city proper) 2,823,807 almost 4,000,000 1... Location within Italy Venice (Italian: Venezia, Venessia in the local dialect), the city of canals, is the capital of the region of Veneto and of the province of Venice, 45°26′N 12°19′E, population 271,663 (census estimate 2004-01-01). ... Westminster is a district within the City of Westminster in London. ... Part of the London skyline viewed from the South Bank London is the most populous city in the European Union, with an estimated population on 1 January 2005 of 7. ... Oxford is a city and local government district in Oxfordshire, England, with a population of 134,248 (2001 census). ... Events Pope Clement XII elected September 17 - Change of emperor of the Ottoman Empire from Ahmed III (1703-1730) to Mahmud I (1730-1754) Anna Ivanova (Anna I of Russia) became czarina Births April 16 - Henry Clinton, British general (d. ... 1799 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Thomas Grenville (1755-1846), was a British politician and bibliophile. ... 1755 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1846 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

A few less wealthy men had kept up the old public-spirited tradition during George III's reign, David Garrick (1717-1779) bequeathing his fine collection of English plays and Sir Joseph Banks his natural history books to the British Museum, while the Shakespearian treasures of Edward Capell (1713-1781) enriched Trinity College, Cambridge and those of Malone (1741-1812) went to the Bodleian Library at Oxford, the formation of these special collections, in place of the large general library with a sprinkling of rarities, being in itself worth noting. Portrait of David Garrick David Garrick (February 19, 1717 – January 20, 1779) was an English actor, dramatist, theatrical producer and theatrical manager, and a friend and pupil of Samuel Johnson. ... // Events January 4 — The Netherlands, Britain & France sign Triple Alliance February 26-March 6 What is now the northeastern United States was paralyzed by a series of blizzards that buried the region. ... 1779 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Image:Http://www. ... Edward Capell (June 11, 1713 - February 24, 1781), English Shakespearian critic, was born at Troston Hall in Suffolk. ... // Events April 11 - War of the Spanish Succession: Treaty of Utrecht June 23 - French residents of Acadia given one year to declare allegiance to Britain or leave Nova Scotia Canada first Orrery built by George Graham Ongoing events Great Northern War (1700-1721) War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713... 1781 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Full name The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity Motto Virtus vera nobilitas Virtue is true Nobility Named after The Holy Trinity Previous names Kings Hall and Michaelhouse (until merged in 1546) Established 1546 Sister College(s) Christ Church Master The Lord Rees of Ludlow Location Trinity Street... Edmond Malone (October 4, 1741 - April 25, 1812), was an Irish Shakespearean scholar and editor of the works of William Shakespeare. ... // Events April 10 - Austrian army attack troops of Frederick the Great at Mollwitz August 10 - Raja of Travancore defeats Dutch East India Company naval expedition at Battle of Colachel December 19 - Vitus Bering dies in his expedition east of Siberia December 25 - Anders Celsius develops his own thermometer scale Celsius... 1812 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

But the noble book-buyers celebrated by the Rev. Thomas Frognall Dibdin in his numerous bibliographical works kept mainly on the old lines, though with aims less patriotic than their predecessors. The Duke of Roxburghe's books were sold, and the excitement produced by the auction, more especially by the competition between Lord Spencer and the Duke of Marlborough (at that time the Marquess of Blandford) for an edition of Boccaccio printed by Valdarfer at Venice in 1471, led to the formation of the Roxburghe Club at a commemorative dinner. In 1819 the Duke of Marlborough's books were sold, and the Boccaccio for which he had paid £2260 went to Earl Spencer (1758-1834) for £750, to pass with the rest of his rare books to the widow of John Rylands in 1892, and by her gift to the John Rylands Library at Manchester in 1899. Thomas Frognall Dibdin (1776 - November 18, 1847), English bibliographer, born at Calcutta, was the son of Thomas Dibdin, the sailor brother of Charles Dibdin. ... John Ker (1740 - 1804), 3rd Duke of Roxburghe, was a Scottish nobleman and bibliophile. ... George John Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer (1 September 1758 - 10 November 1834) was a Whig politician of the late 18th and early 19th century. ... The Most Noble George Spencer-Churchill, 5th Duke of Marlborough DCL MA FSA (March 6, 1766–March 5, 1840) was the son of George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough. ... The coat of arms of the Dukes of Marlborough The Dukedom of Marlborough (pronounced Maulbruh) is an hereditary title of British nobility in the Peerage of England. ... Giovanni Boccaccio (June 16, 1313 - December 21, 1375) was a Florentine author and poet, the greatest of Petrarchs disciples, an important Renaissance humanist in his own right and author of a number of notable works including On Famous Women, the Decameron and his poems in the vernacular. ... Location within Italy Venice (Italian: Venezia, Venessia in the local dialect), the city of canals, is the capital of the region of Veneto and of the province of Venice, 45°26′N 12°19′E, population 271,663 (census estimate 2004-01-01). ... This article is about the year 1471, not the BT caller ID service accessible by dialling 1-4-7-1. ... The Roxburghe Club was formed in 1812 by leading bibliophiles when the library of the Duke of Roxburghe was auctioned. ... George John Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer (1 September 1758 - 10 November 1834) was a Whig politician of the late 18th and early 19th century. ... 1758 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1834 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Enriqueta Augustina Rylands (May 31, 1843 - February 4, 1908) was the founder of the John Rylands Library, Manchester. ... John Rylands (February 7, 1801 - December 11, 1888) was a British weaver and entrepreneur. ... The John Rylands Library (inaugurated October 1899) is a collection of historic books and manuscripts in Manchester, England. ... Manchester is a city in the North West of England. ... 1899 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

The books of Sir Mark Sykes (1771-1823) were sold in 1824, those of J.B. Inglis in 1826 (after which he collected again) and those of George Hibbert (1757-1837) in 1829. The 50,000 volumes brought together by Richard Heber at an expense of about £100,000 were disposed of by successive sales during the years 1834-1837 and realized not much more than half their cost. The wonderful library of William Beckford (1760-1844), especially rich in fine bindings, bequeathed to his daughter, wife of the Duke of Hamilton, was sold in 1882, with the Hamilton manuscripts, for the most part to the German government. Their dispersal was preceded in 1881 by that of the Sunderland collection, already mentioned. The library of Bryan Fairfax (1676-1749), which had passed to the Earls of Jersey, was sold in 1885, that of Sir John Thorold (1734-1815) in 1884, his Gutenberg Bible fetching £3900 and his Mainz Psalter £4950, both of which were bought by Quaritch. The great collection of manuscripts formed by Sir Thomas Phillipps (1792-1872) has furnished materials for numerous sales. The printed books of the Earl of Ashburnham (1797-1878) kept the auctioneers busy in 1897 and 1898. His manuscripts were sold, some to the British government (the Stowe Collection shared between the British Museum and Dublin), the German government (part of the Libri Collection and Barrois Collection, all save one manuscript of 13th century German ballads, resold to France), the Italian government (the rest of the Libri collection), Yates Thompson (1838-1929) (the MSS. known as the Appendix) and J. Pierpont Morgan (the Lindau Gospels). The collections formed by William Miller M.P. (1789-1848, (mainly English poetry), the Duke of Devonshire (1790-1858) and Henry Huth (1815-1878), are still intact. 1771 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1823 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1826 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1757 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1837 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1829 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Richard Heber (January 5, 1773 - October 4, 1833), English book-collector, the half-brother of Reginald Heber, was born in London. ... Fonthill Abbey designed for William Beckford by the architect James Wyatt William Thomas Beckford (October 1, 1760 – May 2, 1844) was an English novelist, art critic, travel writer and politician. ... 1760 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1844 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The Most Noble Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 10th Duke of Hamilton KG FRS (3 October 1767 – 18 August 1852) was a Scottish politician. ... Events January 29 - Feodor III becomes Tsar of Russia First measurement of the speed of light, by Ole Rømer Bacons Rebellion Russo-Turkish Wars commence. ... Events While in debtors prison, John Cleland writes Fanny Hill (Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure). ... The title Earl of Jersey was created in 1697 for Edward Villiers. ... Events January 8 - Premiere of George Frideric Handels opera Ariodante at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. ... The Battle of New Orleans 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Gutenberg bible owned by the U.S. Library of Congress The Gutenberg Bible (also known as the 42-line Bible, and as the Mazarin Bible) is a print of the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible that was printed by its namesake, Johann Gutenberg, in Mainz, Germany. ... Bernard Quaritch (April 23, 1819 - December 17, 1899) was a German-born British bookseller and collector. ... 1792 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1872 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1797 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1878 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ... 1838 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... -1... John Pierpont Morgan John Pierpont Morgan I (April 17, 1837 – March 31, 1913) was an American financier and banker, who at the turn of the century (1901), was one of the wealthiest men in America. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters of an electoral district to a parliament; in the Westminster system, specifically to the lower house. ... 1789 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1848 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... William George Spencer Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire (1790 - 1858), was known as the Bachelor Duke. In 1811, at the age of 21, he inherited eight stately homes and 200,000 acres (809 km²) of land. ... 1790 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1858 is a common year starting on Friday. ... The Battle of New Orleans 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1878 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

Among the book-buyers of the reign of George III, John Ratcliffe (d.1776), whose collection was sold "by Mr Christie" in 1776, and James West M.P., (c.1704-1772), (collection sold at auction in 1773) had devoted themselves specially to Caxtons (of which the former possessed 48 and the latter 34) and the products of other early English presses. The collections of Capell and Garrick were also small and homogeneous. John Ratcliffe (died September 1609) was captain of the Discovery, one of three boats that sailed from England on December 19, 1606 to Virginia, to found a colony, arriving May 14, 1607. ... This article is about the year 1776. ... The Christies auction house in South Kensington, London Christies is a world-famous auction house located in London. ... This article is about the year 1776. ... There have been several people named James West, including: James E. West, the former mayor of Spokane, Washington, who was recalled in December 2005 in a gay sex scandal. ... Events Building of the Students Monument in Aiud, Romania. ... 1772 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1773 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

Cabinet theory of book collecting

Each section, moreover, of some of the great libraries that have just been enumerated might fairly be considered a collection in itself, the union of several collections in the same library being made possible by the wealth of their purchaser and the small prices fetched by most classes of books in comparison with those which are now paid. But perhaps the modern cabinet theory of book-collecting was first carried out with conspicuous skill by Henry Perkins (1778-1855) of Hanworth Park, whose 865 fine manuscripts and specimens of early printing, when sold in 1873, realized nearly £26,000. If surrounded by a sufficient quantity of general literature the collection might not have seemed noticeably different from some of those already mentioned, but the growing cost of books, together with difficulties as to houseroom, combined to discourage miscellaneous buying on a large scale, and what has been called the cabinet theory of collecting, so well carried out by Henry Perkins, became increasingly popular among book buyers, alike in France, England and the United States of America. 1778 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1855 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1873 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calaber). ...

Henri Béraldi (1849-1931), in his catalogue of his own collection (printed 1892), has described how in France a little band of book-loving amateurs grew up who laughed at the bibliophile de la vieille roche as they disrespectfully called their predecessors, and prided themselves on the unity and compactness of their own treasures. In place of the miscellaneous library in which every class of book claimed to be represented, and which needed a special room or gallery to house it, they aimed at small collections which should epitomize the owners' tastes and require nothing bulkier than a neat bookcase or cabinet to hold them. The French bibliophiles whom Béraldi celebrated applied this theory with great success to collecting the dainty French illustrated books of the 18th century which were their especial favorites. In England Richard Fisher treated his fine examples of early book-illustration as part of his collection of engravings, etchings and woodcuts (illustrated catalogue printed 1879), and Frederick Locker (Locker-Lampson) formed in two small bookcases such a gathering of first editions of English imaginative literature that the mere catalogue of it (printed in 1886) produced the effect of a stately and picturesque procession. 1849 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Frederick Locker-Lampson (1821-1895) was an English man of letters and poet. ...

Some of the book-hoards of previous generations could have spared the equivalent of the Locker collection without seeming noticeably the poorer, but the compactness and unity of this small collection, in which every book appears to have been bought for a special reason and to form an integral part of the whole, gave it an artistic individuality which was a pleasant triumph for its owner, and excited so much interest among American admirers of Locker's poetry that it may be said to have set a fashion.

As another example of the value of a small collection, both for delight and for historical and artistic study, mention may be made of the little roomful of manuscripts and incunabula which William Morris brought together to illustrate the history of the bookish arts in the middle ages before the Renaissance introduced new ideals. Many living collectors are working in a similar spirit, and as this spirit spreads the monotony of the old libraries, in which the same editions of the same books recurred with wearisome frequency, should be replaced by much greater individuality and variety. Moreover, if they can be grouped round some central idea cheap books may yield just as good sport to the collector as expensive ones, and the collector of quite modern works may render admirable service to posterity. The only limitation is against books specially manufactured to attract him, or artificially made rare. A quite wholesome interest in contemporary first editions was brought to nought about 1889 by the booksellers beginning to hoard copies of Browning's Asolando and Andrew Lang's Blue Fairy Book on the day of publication, while a graceful but quite minor poet was made ridiculous by £100 being asked for a set of his privately printed opuscula. The petty gambling in books printed at the Kelmscott and Doves Presses, and in the fine paper copies of a certain Life of Queen Victoria, for which a premium of 250 percent was asked before publication, is another proof that until the manufacturing stage is over collecting cannot safely begin. But with this exception the field is open. This page is about William Morris, the writer, designer and socialist. ... By region Italian Renaissance Spanish Renaissance Northern Renaissance French Renaissance German Renaissance English Renaissance The Renaissance, also known as Il Rinascimento (in Italian), was an influential cultural movement which brought about a period of scientific revolution and artistic transformation, at the dawn of modern European history. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Robert Browning Robert Browning (May 7, 1812 – December 12, 1889) was an English poet and playwright. ... For the former National Basketball Association player, see Andrew Lang (basketball player). ... This page is about William Morris, the writer, designer and socialist. ...

Elements of book collecting

Collection interests may include books relating to all the qualities of a book or books, including: author, illustrator, publisher, printer, series (Modern Library, etc.), private presses (Kelmscott Press, etc.), book designers, physical forms (miniature books, palm leaf, vellum, etc.), awards (Pulitzer Prize, Booker Prize, etc.), stages of publication (galley copies, advance copies, uncorrected bound proofs, etc.), author signature, association copy, historical era, regional/local interest, subject, genre, incunabula or marginalia. Related collecting interests include autograph collecting and ephemera. The word author has several meanings: The author of a book, story, article or the like, is the person who has written it (or is writing it). ... An illustrator is a graphic artist who specializes in enhancing written text by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text. ... A publisher is a person or entity which engages in the act of publishing. ... The word printer is used to describe a company that provides commercial printing services, involving typesetting, printing and book-binding. ... The Modern Library, a current division of Random House publishers, was founded in 1917 by Albert Boni and Horace Liveright. ... Private Press is a term used in the field of book collecting to describe a printing press operated as a personal enthusiasm, rather than as a purely commercial venture. ... This page is about William Morris, the writer, designer and socialist. ... A miniature book is a very small book, sized from . ... Vellum (from the Latin for wool or pelt) is a sort of parchment, a material for the pages of a book or codex, usually made from calf skin. ... Listen to this article (help) Listen to this article · (info) This audio file was created from the revision dated 2005-04-13, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ... The Man Booker Prize for Fiction, also known as the Man Booker Prize, or simply the Man Booker, is one of the worlds most important literary prizes, and awarded each year for the best original novel written by a citizen of the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland in... An advance copy of a book is released by the book publisher before has gone to press. ... Book signing is the affixing of a signature to the title page or flyleaf of a book by its author. ... A genre is a division of a particular form of art according to criteria particular to that form. ... A page from a rare Blackletter Bible (1497) printed in Strasbourg by J.R. Grueninger. ... Marginalia is the general term for notes, scribbles, doodles and editorial comments made in the margin of a book. ... Autograph of king Charles XII of Sweden (1682-1718) An autograph is a document written entirely in the handwriting of its author, as opposed to a typeset document or one transcribed by an amanuensis or a copyist (see allography). ... Ephemera are documents published with a short intended lifetime. ...

Bibliographies

While book-collecting may thus take an endless variety of forms the heads under which these may be grouped are few and fairly easily defined. They may be here briefly indicated together with some notes as to the literature methods which has grown up round them. The development which bibliographical literature has taken is indeed very significant of the changed ideals of collectors. Brunet's Manuel du libraire et de l'amateur de livres, first published in 1810, attained its fifth edition in 1860-1864, and has never since been re-edited (supplement, 1878-1880). The Bibliographer's Manual of English Literature by W. T. Lowndes, first published in 1834, was revised by H. G. Bohn in 1857-1864, and of this also no further edition has been printed. These two works between them gave all the information the old-fashioned collectors required, the Trésor de livres rares et précieux by J.G.T. Grässe adding little to the information given by Brunet. The day of the omnivorous collector being past, the place of these general manuals has been taken by more detailed bibliographies and handbooks on special books, and though new editions of both Lowndes and Brunet would be useful to librarians and booksellers no publisher has had the courage to produce them. Bibliography is the study of books. ... William Thomas Lowndes (c. ... Henry George Bohn (January 4, 1796 - August 22, 1884) was a British publisher. ...

Book qualities

To attract collectors a book must appeal to the eye, mind or imagination, and many famous books appeal to all three. A book may be beautiful by virtue of its binding, its illustrations or the simple perfection and harmony of its print and paper. The attraction of a fine binding has always been felt in France, the high prices quoted for Elzevirs and French first editions being often due much more to their 17th and 18th century jackets than to the books themselves. The appreciation of old bindings has greatly increased in England since the exhibition of them at the Burlington Fine Arts Club in 1891 (illustrated catalogue printed the same year), English blind stamped bindings, embroidered bindings, and bindings attributable to Samuel Mearne (1624-1683) being much more sought after than formerly. Lodewijk Elzevir (1546? - 1617) was a significant Dutch printer. ... Events January 24 - Alfonso Mendez, appointed by Pope Gregory XV as Prelate of Ethiopia, arrives at Massawa from Goa. ... Events June 6 - The Ashmolean Museum opens as the worlds first university museum. ...

Illustrations

Illustrated books of certain periods are also much in request, and with the exception of a few which early celebrity has prevented becoming rare have increased inordinately in price. The primitive woodcuts in incunabula are now almost too highly appreciated.

Fine printings

Appreciation of finely printed books has seldom extended much beyond the 15th century. In addition to the works mentioned in the article on incunabula, note may be made of Humphreys' Masterpieces of the Early Printers and Engravers (1870), while Druckschriften des XV bis XVIII Jahrhunderts by Friedrich Lippmann and Robert Dohme (1884-1887) covers, though not-very fully, the later period. A page from a rare Blackletter Bible (1497) printed in Strassburg by J.R.Grueninger. ...

Topics

Among books which make an intellectual appeal to the collectors may be classed all works of historical value which have not been reprinted, or of which the original editions are more authentic, or convincing than modern reprints. It is evident that these cover a vast field, and that the collector in taking possession of any corner of it is at once the servant and rival of historical students. Lord Crawford's vast collections of English, Scottish and Irish proclamations and of papal bulls may be cited as capital instances of the work which a collector may do for the promotion of historical research, and the philological library brought together by Prince Louis Lucien Bonaparte (An Attempt at a Catalogue of the late Prince Louis-Lucien Bonaparte by Victor Collins, published 1894) and the Foxwell collection of early books on political economy (presented to the University of London by the Goldsmiths' Company) are two other instances. Much collecting of this kind is now being carried on by the libraries of institutes and societies connected with special professions and studies, but there is ample room also for private collectors to work on these lines. Papal bull of Pope Urban VIII, 1637, sealed with a leaden bulla. ... Philology is the study of ancient texts and languages. ... Louis Lucien Bonaparte (January 4, 1813 - November 3, 1891) was the third son of Napoleons second surviving brother, Lucien Bonaparte. ... Political economy was the original term for the study of production, the acts of buying and selling, and their relationships to laws, customs and government. ... Senate House, designed by Charles Holden home to the universitys central administrative offices and its library The University of London is a federation of colleges and institutes which together constitute one of the worlds largest universities. ... The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. ...

Of books which appeal to a collectors' imagination the most obvious examples are those which can be associated with some famous person or event. A book which has belonged to a king or queen (more especially one who, like Mary, Queen of Scots, has appealed to popular sympathies), or to a great statesman, soldier or poet, which bears any mark of having been valued by him, or of being connected with any striking incident in his life, has an interest which defies analysis. Collectors themselves have a natural tenderness for their predecessors, and a copy of a famous work is all the more regarded if its pedigree can be traced through a long series of book-loving owners. Hence the production of such works as Great book-collectors by Charles and Mary Elton (1893), English book-collectors by W.Y. Fletcher (1902) and Nouvel armorial du bibliophile by J. Guigard (1890), Mary, Queen of Scots is the name of: Mary I of Scotland, the former queen of France and Scotland executed by her cousin Elizabeth I of England Mary, Queen of Scots (movie), a 1971 film about that queen starring Vanessa Redgrave Mary, Queen of Scots (1969 book), a 1969 book... Charles Isaac Elton (December 6, 1839 _ April 23, 1900) was an English lawyer and antiquary. ...

Multiple editions

One of the recognized byways of book-collecting, however, used to be the collection of as many editions as possible of the same work. When this results in the acquisition of numerous late editions of no value for the text, its only usefulness would appear to be the index it may offer to the authors' popularity. But in translations of the Bible, in liturgical works, and in editions published during the author's lifetime, the aid offered to the study of the development of the final text by a long row of intermediate editions may be very great. The Bible (sometimes The Book, Good Book, Word of God, The Word, or Scripture), from Greek (τα) βιβλια, (ta) biblia, (the) books, is the classical name for the Hebrew Bible of Judaism or the combination of the Old Testament and New Testament of Christianity (The Bible therefore actually refers to at least... From the Greek word λειτουργια, which can be transliterated as leitourgia, meaning the work of the people, a liturgy comprises a prescribed religious ceremony, according to the traditions of a particular religion; it may refer to, or include, an elaborate formal ritual (such as the Catholic Mass), a daily activity such...

History of printing

Another instance in which imagination reinforces the more positive interest a book may possess is in the case of editions which can be connected with the origin, diffusion or development of printing. Piety suggests that book-lovers should take a special interest in the history of the art which has done so much for their happiness, and in this respect they have mostly shown themselves religious. The first book printed in any town is reasonably coveted by local antiquaries, and the desire to measure the amount and quality of the work of every early printer has caused the preservation of thousands of books which would otherwise have perished. An antiquarian or antiquary is one concerned with antiquities or things of the past. ...

Cost

The financial side of book-collecting guides to book prices and auction results. While largely influenced by fashion, the prices given for books are never wholly unreasonable. They are determined, firstly by the positive or associative interest which can be found in the book itself, secondly by the infrequency with which copies come into the market compared with the number and wealth of their would-be possessors, and thirdly, except in the case of books of the greatest interest and rarity, by the condition of the copy offered in respect to completeness, size, freshness and absence of stains.

Book condition

Condition of books is important to collectors. While books are basically durable objects, years or centuries of handling and moving can take their toll on the cover and binding, and many old books have been rebound. The dust jackets of recent books are relatively delicate, and collectors pay close attention to their condition. The paper of the pages themselves can be a problem. Excessive acid left over from the papermaking process can literally crumble the pages into dust, and books of some eras absolutely must have the acid neutralized if they are to survive for any length of time. The dust jacket (sometimes dust wrapper, abbreviated dj or dw) of a hardback book is the paper, usually illustrated and including front and back flaps, that protects the binding of the book from scratches. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... In databases, ACID stands for Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Neutralization is a chemical reaction, also called a water forming reaction, in which an acid and a base or alkali (soluble base) react and produce a salt and water. ...

Other enemies to guard against include fire, water, very dry air, very humid air, sunlight, and insects. The collector can do some maintenance and repair personally, but bookbinders are recommended for major restoration or to work on rare volumes. It has been suggested that flame be merged into this article or section. ... Water (from the Old English word wæter; c. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Air is a name for the mixture of gases present in the Earths atmosphere. ... Prism splitting light Sunlight in the broad sense is the total spectrum of electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun. ... Classes & Orders Subclass: Apterygota Orders Archaeognatha (Bristletails) Thysanura (Silverfish) Monura - extinct Subclass: Pterygota Infraclass: Paleoptera (paraphyletic) Orders Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Protodonata - extinct Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Diaphanopteroidea - extinct Palaeodictyoptera - extinct Megasecoptera - extinct Archodonata - extinct Infraclass: Neoptera Orders Blattodea (cockroaches) Isoptera (termites) Mantodea (mantids) Dermaptera (earwigs) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Protorthoptera - extinct Orthoptera (grasshoppers... Bookbinding is the process of physically assembling a book from a number of separate sheets of paper or other material. ...

Title page of Colman's Terence, 1765

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (750x1082, 114 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: George Colman the Elder Book collecting User:Stan Shebs/Gallery/Miscellaneous ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (750x1082, 114 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: George Colman the Elder Book collecting User:Stan Shebs/Gallery/Miscellaneous ...

Prominent book collectors

• Henry II of France
• Samuel Pepys
• John Evelyn
• Anthony Collins
• Geoffrey Keynes
• Robert Bruce Cotton
• Charles Dyson Perrins

Henry II (French: Henri II) (March 31, 1519 – July 10, 1559), a member of the Valois Dynasty, was King of France from July 31, 1547 until his death. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... John Evelyn (October 31, 1620 – February 27, 1706) was an English writer, gardener and diarist. ... This page is about Anthony Collins the philosopher. ... Sir Geoffrey Langdon Keynes (March 25, 1887 in Cambridge - July 5, 1982, in Cambridge) was an English surgeon, physician, scholar and bibliophile. ... Portrait of Robert Cotton, commissioned 1626 and attributed to Cornelius Johnson (or Janssen), (1593-1661). ... Charles William Dyson Perrins (25 May 1864 – 1958) was an English businessman, bibliophile and philanthropist. ...

References

• Bill McBride: A Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions, Points of Issue, and Book Collecting for Fun and Profit. Available online from McBride/Publisher.

• Allen and Patricia Ahearn: Book collecting: a comprehensive guide. New York: Putnam, 1995 ISBN 0-399-14049-2

• Robert A. Wilson: Modern book collecting. New York: Lyons & Burford, 1992 ISBN 1-55821-179-9

• John Carter: ABC for book collectors. 8th ed. edited by Nicolas Barker. New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll; London: British Library, 2004 ISBN 0-7123-4822-0 (British Library) ISBN 1-58456-112-2 (Oak Knoll) - a classic, first published in 1952.

• John Carter: Taste and technique in book-collecting, with an epilogue. Pinner, Middlesex: Private Libraries Association, 1970 (The Sandars Lectures in Bibliography, 1947) ISBN 0-900002-30-1

• William Rees-Mogg:How to buy rare books: a practical guide to the antiquarian book market. Oxford: Phaidon, 1985 (Christie's collectors guides) ISBN 0-7148-8019-1

• Allen and Patricia Ahearn: Collected books : the guide to values. New York: Putnam, 2001 ISBN 0-399-14781-0

• American book prices current (Annual, 1894/1895 onwards)

Further reading

• W. C. Hazlitt: The book collector: a general survey of the pursuit and of those who have engaged in it at home and abroad from the earliest period to the present ... . London: J. Grant, 1904 - published over a century ago, but still worth dipping into.

For more modern accounts, see the series of books on book-collectors, book-collecting and "bibliomania" by Nicholas A. Basbanes:

• A gentle madness: bibliophiles, bibliomanes, and the eternal passion for books. New York: Holt, 1999 ISBN 0-8050-6176-2

• Patience & fortitude: a roving chronicle of book people, book places, and book culture. New York: HarperCollins, 2001 ISBN 0-06-019695-5

• Among the gently mad: perspectives and strategies for the book hunter in the twenty-first century. New York: Holt, 2002 ISBN 0-8050-5159-7

Follow husband and wife team Lawrence & Nancy Goldstone as they search for rare and collectable volumes in:

• Used And Rare: Travels In The Book World. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997 ISBN 0-312-15682-0
• Slightly Chipped: Footnotes in Booklore. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1999 ISBN 0-312-20587-2

External links

Online resources for all who are interested or involved in collecting books include amongst others:

• Books and Book Collecting
• Digital Librarian (Book collectors and librarians share an interest in acquiring and preserving books. An excellent collection of links)
• rec.collecting.books - a usenet group for book collectors, and the FAQ pages relating to that site
• The Book Collector A quarterly publication, founded in 1952.
• Firsts : collecting modern first editions Founded 1991. 10 issues/year.
• On preservation of valuable books.: National library of the Netherlands

Usenet is a distributed Internet discussion system that evolved from a general purpose UUCP network of the same name. ...

Notes

¹As Henry died at the age of 18, he can scarcely be described as a collector of significance. However, his father, King James VI and I, bought the library of Lord Lumley for him. See the description of an item from that library that is held by the Library of St John's College, Cambridge.

This article incorporates text from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, which is in the public domain. Supporters contend that the Eleventh Edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica (1910-1911) represents the sum of human knowledge at the beginning of the 20th century; indeed, it was advertised as such. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ...