Bücher der Reihe Cambridge Library Collection - History of Printing, Publishing and Libraries

Philippe Renouard (1862-1934) published this biographical directory of members of the Parisian book trade from the introduction of printing in 1470 until the sixteenth century in 1898. It replaced the only other existing catalogue, by Augustin-Martin Lottin, published more than a century earlier. Renouard corrected many of the errors in Lottin's catalogue and filled in gaps in information, extending his directory to include names and addresses of booksellers and printers, and the dates during which they were active, and family genealogies. The book also includes a map of the university quarter and city of Paris marked with the locations of former publishing houses. It remained the authoritative source on the topic until the 1960s, when the Bibliotheque Nationale published a newly revised and enlarged version.

The library of the physician Anthony Askew (1722-72) was outstanding in both printed books and manuscripts. He may have failed in his ambition to secure a complete collection of every printed edition of the Greek classics, but he did amass a classical library which remained unsurpassed until Spencer. Although he was later accused of plagiarism, virtually every edition of Aeschylus down to the 1850s cited 'Askew's collations'. He also secured Richard Mead's fine collection of Latin and Greek manuscripts, alongside other early classical codices from the Maffei library. The dispersal of Askew's collection in two sales, ten years apart, attracted international interest. Bidders at the 1775 book sale included George III, while the manuscript sale in 1785 led to acquisitions by the British Museum, the Bodleian and Cambridge University Library. Now reissued together, the sale catalogues have been annotated here by auction attendees who recorded prices and some purchaser details.

The library of the chandler John Ratcliffe (1707-76) was amassed before the onset of 'bibliomania', and perfectly illustrates the last days of a period of book collecting when scholars and commoners could hope to compete with wealthy noblemen. The collection contained over a hundred incunabula, including forty-eight Caxtons, and a fine selection of sixteenth-century English books, alongside contemporary literature and Presbyterian tracts. Many of Ratcliffe's incunabula had been purchased from James West, others from Anthony Askew. In turn, his books were acquired by a circle of his contemporaries, including William Herbert, Charles Chauncy and William Hunter. However, the purchase of some of the finest books by the aristocratic Justin MacCarthy Reagh provided a hint of what was to come. Reissued here is James Christie's 1776 sale catalogue, featuring handwritten annotations by an attendee at the auction who recorded the prices paid and the names of buyers.

The dispersal of the library amassed by George Spencer-Churchill (1766-1840), Marquess of Blandford and later fifth Duke of Marlborough, is most commonly cited today as a preservative against folly. The collection contained some of the most sought-after incunabula of a period defined by the high prices paid for early printed books. It included a fine selection of Caxtons, spectacular botanical and emblem books, and the iconic Valdarfer Boccaccio - the first edition of the Decameron, purchased by Blandford in 1812 for the unprecedented sum of GBP2,260. The Boccaccio was symptomatic of the profligate expenditure of its buyer. By 1819 his spendthrift ways had ruined him, leading to the sale of his opulent estate at Whiteknights, near Reading, and the dispersal of one of the key libraries in the era of bibliomania. Reissued here together are the two parts of the auction catalogue, both annotated by an auction attendee who recorded details of the purchasers and the prices paid. Ed Potten, Head of Rare Books at Cambridge University Library, has provided a new introduction that places the catalogue in its wider context.

The library of the literary scholar Richard Farmer (1735-97) was first and foremost a working reference collection, the books acquired not as treasures, but to be read and appreciated. Farmer's library included all four Shakespeare folios and was remarkable for its Elizabethan literature and black letter, which provided the source material for his scholarly work. Notable acquaintances such as Samuel Johnson, George Steevens, Edmond Malone and Isaac Reed all benefitted from Farmer's knowledge, and Thomas Percy's Reliques of Ancient English Poetry drew directly on the library itself. In 1798, Farmer's books were sold at an auction attended by many of the next generation's greatest book collectors. Reissued here is a copy of the catalogue featuring handwritten annotations by an anonymous attendee who recorded the prices paid and the names of many buyers, uniquely capturing the dispersal of one of the eighteenth century's great libraries.

Published in 1896 at the peak of his career, this work by Walter Crane (1845-1915) was developed from a series of lectures given to the Society of Arts in 1889. Although chiefly remembered as an illustrator of books for children, Crane was a versatile and knowledgeable artist and designer. His practical experience with book illustration and printing methods gives this text the weight of considerable authority. A prominent figure in the Arts and Crafts movement alongside William Morris, he demonstrates here his understanding of historical techniques of illustration since the medieval period. Drawing parallels across the ages, Crane notes in particular how Arts and Crafts aesthetics influenced book illustration in the late Victorian era. Featuring copious reproductions of illustrations ranging in date, style, technique and sophistication, this work reflects Crane's artistic ethos through the exploration of many examples of exquisite craftsmanship.

The French bookseller, publisher and printer Paul Delalain (1840-1924) was the author of several studies on the history of the book and of the printing press, including L'imprimerie et la librairie a Paris de 1789 a 1813 (1899) and Les libraires et imprimeurs de l'Academie francaise de 1634 a 1793 (1907). First published in 1891, this book contains the French translation of Volumes 1 and 2 of the Latin Chartularium Universitatis Parisiensis. These records of statutes and regulations, originating from the University of Paris between 1200-86 and 1286-1350 respectively, detail the conditions under which booksellers and stationers were allowed to practise their trade, and give intriguing glimpses of the people involved, including Englishmen and Scots. Delalain's introduction to these documents studies the status of Parisian booksellers in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, shedding light on such points as the difference between a libraire and a stationnaire.

This 1902 book, originally intended for private circulation, is a memoir of George Smith (1824-1901), founder, proprietor and publisher of The Cornhill Magazine and later the Dictionary of National Biography. The small volume, compiled by Smith's wife, consists of a memoir of Smith by Sidney Lee, followed by four short autobiographical pieces that Smith wrote for The Cornhill. He recalls his years at the publishing house of Smith, Elder and Co.; his encounters with Charlotte Bronte, who stayed with the Smiths in London; his idea of founding a magazine; and the 'lawful pleasures' of court cases for libel. The final item is Sir Leslie Stephen's obituary of Smith, first published in The Cornhill. The book, illustrated with two portraits of Smith, and a photograph of his memorial tablet in St Paul's Cathedral, provides an engaging portrait of a significant Victorian publisher and man of letters.