OLD BIBLES

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 23, 28 January 1928, Page 8

OLD BIBLES

(To the Editor.) T.?ir'~? llave read Beveral account* of old Bibles m your columns lately, perhaps it would be of interest to your readers to know the values of some of the variou* editions. But before going into prices it would be just as weir to say that values depend upon certain conditions. First, it must be. understood that it is most difficult to set any fixed value upon anything in the way ol rarities, they are just worth what you can get for them, and everything depends upon binding and condition and in cases where books have beea rebound several times, and, of course, recut, the value to a collector is very small; in fact, unless a very rare specimen, books of this kind are not saleable. The prices following are those obtained at auction in London:—l6sß, £13; 1549 £11; 1585, £8; 1611, £40; 1550, £18; 1«»! £10; 1535, £185; 1537, £40; 1539, £28----1566, £22; 1611, £9; 1541, £18; 1568, £12----1653, £17; 1608, £20; 1582, £10; 1535' £600 to £800. In nearly- all cases the above had special features in the' way o£ binding, etc.; the difference in the three prices quoted for the 1535 edition is accounted for by bindings and condition, the one which realised £600 being quoted as a fine and large copy, measuring 12 4-16 x 7 11-16 inchesj the one sold for £800—. no particulars given—was evidently M 8 larger, hence the extra price obtained. Common bindings are not wanted, and Bibles dated 1600 and after may be picked up for £1 or so in England. Some years ago I bought a Breeches Bible in this country for £1 (the price paid for it in England). This I sold by auction and obtained £3 for it. Some time afterwards a friend of mine told me of his good fortune in picking iip a Breches Bible for £3, worth £50. "Where ignorance," etc. When one considers the number of Bibles that have been printed the l«t 300 years, it may be easily understood that while those printed in the 1600's may have a small value; those of the 17 and 1800's are not of any value to a collector. Anything produced in quantities cannot become valuable, unless by some means they are nearly all destroyed, leaving only a few available. As Bibles are, as a rule, treasured possessions there is little likelihood of their becoming rare or of high value.—l am, etc., BOOKWORM.