VALUABLE SOOKS.

Auckland Star, Volume 55, Issue 152, 28 June 1924, Page 9

VALUABLE SOOKS.

ADDITIONS TO SHAW COLLECTION Two valuable and interesting books have just been presented to the Auckland Public Library 'by Mr. Henry Shaw, whose collection is one of the great attractions of the library. One of these is a splendid facsimile of the first printed book, known as the Gutenburg Bible, and a facsimile of a beautiful illuminated IISS. entitled "Hortulus Animae.' , Mr. Shaw sends the following notes on these books, which should be of interest: —"The most notable printed book in the world is the 42-line or Gutenburg Bible printed at jMainz between 1450 and the end of 14.35 by John Gutenburg. It is generally believed that about two hundred copies of this bible were printed, some forty of which have survived to the present day, but a number of these are not in perfect condition. For the last copy sold in the British Isles something near £10,000 was paid. In 1910 a German firm in Leipzig undertook publication of an exact facsimile, and successfully completed the most perfect and beautiful facsimile of a printed book the world has ever known. The reproduction, like the original, is in two folio volumes of over UOO pages each, and about one hundred pages are choicely illuminated in gold and colours. The production of this perfect facsimile of so large a work was a great and costly undertaking, and all the copies had to be subscribed for befor publication. As most copies are now in important libraries it will soon become a work not easy to procure. Messrs Haggs Bros, succeeded, however, in purchasing a copy on my behalf for the Auckland Library." The fine and perfect facsimile of an illuminated MS. entitled "Hortulus Animae." or "The Garden of the Soul,"' is one of the most splendidly-illuminated works known to the world, and. with its wealth of gold and colour, it is ft glorious book to behold." Anyone who loves the artistically beautiful can inspect these superb volumes en application to the chief librarian.