What an extraordinary record is this of a mental struggle to overcome the cravings for Tobacco and Ale.
S. T.
Chester, February 4th.
What has been the highest price ever paid for a Volume?—In the course of my reading lately on Bibliography, I observe that at the sale of the Duke of Roxburgh's Library in May, 1812, the first edition of the Decamerone of Boccaccio produced the enormous sum of £2260. In the Catalogue the work is entitled—
"Boccaccio il Decamerone. Fol. M. G. Ediz. Prim. Venet. Valdarfer, 1471."
It was bought by the Duke of Marlborough, and again sold by public auction from his Library, by Mr. Evans, Pall Mall, in June, 1819, for the large price of £918. 15s. In that Catalogue it is entitled—
"Boccaccio il Decamerone, (Venezia), per Christoful Valdarfer di Ratispona, MCCCCLXXI."
At this time it was purchased by Mr. Longman, apparently for Lord Spencer, in whose library it is said at present to be. A note to the above Catalogue mentions that, "notwithstanding the publicity of the extraordinary sum which this book produced at the Roxburgh Sale, all researches throughout Europe to procure another copy have proved entirely fruitless. This volume still continues to be the only known perfect copy of this edition, and is, in all probability, the only copy which will ever be offered for public sale. Its unparalleled rarity, however, is not its only recommendation, as it contains many important readings which have not been followed in any subsequent edition."
If any of your learned correspondents could give us additional information as to this rare and apparently valuable volume, it would be doubtless interesting to Bibliographers. Has any volume ever brought a higher price, or any work even in a series of volumes?