RARE AND COSTLY BIBLES.
The special feature at the recent sale of the Earl of Crawford's library was the disposal of old and rare editions of the Bible in various languages. The most important lots were as follows:—
The "Bishops'" Bible, a revision of the "Great Bible" undertaken by Archbishop Parker and eight other bishops, black letter, folio, 1568. It is sometimes called the "Treacle" Bible, from the words, "Is there no tryacle [instead of 'balm'] in Gilead?" £70 [sold to] (Quaritch). Second edition of the German Bible, circa 1466, £86 (Quaritch); first edition of Luther's Bible, £51 (Quaritch); the Mazarin Bible, or the Gutenberg Bible—the first edition of the Bible, and the earliest book printed with movable metal types; a rare and much-sought book, two volumes, printed by Gutenberg and Füst about 1450, £2,650. This book was put up at £695, for which price this particular copy was sold thirty years ago. The book will remain in this country. Sir John Thorold's copy, a few years ago, fetched £3,900. Another Latin Bible, two volumes, first edition, with a date beautifully printed upon vellum, folio, 1462, £1,025 (Quaritch); Biblia Slavonica, the Ostrog edition, 1581, £73 (Quaritch); the Virginian Bible, by John Eliot, with Psalms in metre, two volumes in one, quarto, 1685 and 1680, £40 (Quaritch); first edition of the Welsh Bible, from the Wepre Hall Library, 1588, £60 (Quaritch); Block Book, Apocalypsis Sancti Johannis, forty-eight leaves printed from wooden blocks, in colours, and the xylographic text in brown ink, bound up with other matter in the old oak boards, folio, circa 1430. This rare and curious volume is generally considered as being the second attempt in xylographic printing, the priority being given to the Ars Memorandi. Block books are supposed to have preceded by nearly twenty-five years the discovery of printing with metal types, and the workmanship is attributed to the press of Laurence Coster at Harlem. This specimen was put up at £100, and after a keen competition between Mr. Ellis and Mr. Quaritch, it was secured by the latter for £500. The day's sale realized upwards of £7,000.