RARE EDITIONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 196, 13 May 1908, Page 9

RARE EDITIONS.

VALUABLE SHAKESPEARE TREASURES. Messrs. Sotheby, of London, recently held a sale of the library of the lato Dr. John Gott, Bishop of Truro, disposed' of ■at the order of his execut-ors. The chief feature was the submission of the first four folio Shakespeares, uniformly'bound..'-in red morocco, all. in good condition. For the four folios there was an opening bid of £1000, which'was increased; to £3850, at which sum the folios remained unsold. It may be mentioned that tho. record sum for a first folio is £3600, obtained last year, while as much as £1550 has been obtained for, a third folio. Tbo lowness of the amount of tho final bidcaused somo little' comment, hut it is very rare that a purchaser can be discovered who will tako four such literary treasures as tho folios in ono lot. A first edition of '"Tho Morchant of Venice," printed by J. Roborts, 1000, was sold for £290. A copy of tho first issue of tho first Prayer Book of Edward VI. realised £105. Tho copy had belonged to Nathaniel Lord Crewo, Bishop of Durham 1633-1722, the founder of tho Charity at Bamborough Castle, who had placed an inscription in tho book that it was so great a curiosity that lie apprehended tho value of it to be "at least ten guineas." A copy'of Whit-cliurche's sccond issue'of the Prayer Book realised £72; while a copy of tho' tliird issno brought in £84. A Prayer Book,, 1550, giving the complcto English ritual set to tho ancient plain-song, realised £153. ThcTo.wero also sold:—"Tho Pryrocr of Salisbury Uso (1539)," £47; a copy of William Painter's " Tho Palace of Pleasure,". £140; Spenser's "Faerie Queen," first part dated 1590 and tho sccond part 1596, first oditions of both parts, £113; Spenser's " Complaints," a larce paper copy, £97; Spenser's "Colin Clout's Come Homo Againe," £23; and a fine copy of " Purchas his Pilgrimos," £61. Tho result of tho two days' sale was an aggregate sum of .£12,830. l2s. 6d,