Word: rosenbach
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William Augustus White, for many years a benefactor of the library, died on May 6, 1927. He had occupied a leading position in the ranks of American private collectors. A. S. W. Rosenbach of New York, one of the most prominent bookmen of the country, wrote of him: "Mr. William A. White . . . was among the earliest of our collectors to gather the choice and alluring volumes of the great Elizabethans. His judgment was excellent and he had a vivid understanding of this golden period, equalled by few scholars: He did not hesitate to lend his finest volumes to any student...
...Rosenbach raised him a hundred. Mr. Maggs jumped another hundred. After ?1,000, Mr. Maggs tried to slow down the bidding, but Dr. Rosenbach went on raising him, ?100 or more at a time. When Dr. Rosenbach bid ?1,500, Mr. Maggs kept silent and the auctioneer announced that Dr. Rosenbach had bought a first edition copy of Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, inscribed by the author to his friend, Mrs. Dinah Maria Mulock Craik, author of John Halifax, Gentleman. Then the auctioneer raised his hand and lowered his voice...
...very much like a game of leapfrog; each jump was ?1,000. Mr. Dring would jump first, Mr. Maggs would outbid him, then Dr. Rosenbach would go over both of them. Dr. Rosenbach never outbid the proxy of the British Museum until his English competitor had done so. After ?10,000, the price went up more slowly. "Ten thousand and a hundred," said Mr. Dring. "And a hundred," said Mr. Maggs. Dr. Rosenbach took off his glasses; "And a hundred," he whispered. For one round, each raised the other ?10, as if they were all nearing the limit. The gallery...
...people behind the table started to pick up their hats but they stopped when the auctioneer pounded his pulpit and began to say something. "Dr. Rosenbach wishes me to announce that he is prepared to sell the book to the nation at the price for which he just bought it. . . ." At this, a few people clapped. Then they went out of the gallery. One of the last to leave was a small old lady in a black dress. Her name was Mrs. Alice Pleasance Hargreaves...
...Abraham S. Wolf Rosenbach, who bought the manuscript, is probably the most energetic bibliophile now at large. In addition to paying as he did for the manuscript of Alice one of the highest prices that has ever been given for an author's manuscript, he distinguished himself two years ago by setting the price-record for all book-auctions of any kind: $106,000 for a Gutenberg Bible (TIME, March 1, 1926). Other collectors are afraid of him; they know that he and his brother A. Rosenbach, who together make up the Rosenbach Co., have unlimited resources as well...