A CHASE FOR A BIBLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 215, 11 September 1925, Page 9

A CHASE FOR A BIBLE.

a i - RARE BIBLIOGRAPHIC TREASURE. A £10,000 GUTENBERG. (From Onr Own Correspondent.) LONDON, July 21. A chase for a Bible has to be recorded—one which entailed a hunt all over Europe, has just been crowned by success when a bookseller, Mr. Edward Goldston, of Museum Street, Bloomabury, reached London last night, with a copy of the Gutenberg Bible. The Bible is in two volumes, quarto, and is a perfect specimen of the early Gutenberg texts, which were printed in the years 1455-56. "I first heard of the existence of the volumes early this month," says Mr. Goldston, "and went over to Cologne. There was no time to lose if I was to secure the treasure. In Cologne I learned that the Bible was in a town 'twenty hours distant.' I left immediately for Vienna, and after further investigation found that I had succeeded iv mv search." ''The price demanded was exceptiohallv Digh—well over f 10,000. I rushed back to London and completed the financial arrangements with my brother-in-law, W. Ralph Diamond. Then back to V lenna, where I clinched the transaction. -There was some obvious hesitation on the part of the authorities to allow the books to leave Austria, but I wasted no time once J had them in my possession. _ "One peculiarity of mv various journeys across the Continent was the way J Tvas pursued by the No. 18. On four occasions my sleeping car berth was No. 13 _iy v j sa Wfts elated to expire! on the, 13th. When I dashed back from Vienna on the first occasion I found myself at Dover, with exactly 13/ in my possession, and the receipt for a, purchase 1 Wade in Cologne on the 15th, was written on the back of a sheet torn from a calendar, which was dated the 13th of the month."'