50 Books Manuscripts Music Catalogue 111

New York: Scribners [The Scribner's Book Store], 1938. Cloth. A classy catalogue issued by The Scribner Book Store, which was the grandest of Fifth Avenue book stores on the street level of the publisher's landmark building headquarters. The retail space is now landmarked, but the book store closed in 1989, and its antiquarian book department was folded well before that. The catalogue showcases what would be regarded in the trade then and now as high points -- the first editions or manuscripts of the most famous, or influential, of books or music scores -- Madame Bovary, Das Kapital, The Jungle Book, Vita di Benvenuto Cellini, the score of Boris Godounov, etc. Some of the offerings, though, would not be so considered today we shall not cite those lest we ruffle admirers of those particular works. The most expensive item is Robert Browning's Pauline, for $12,500, followed by a manuscript copy of Mozart's Haffner Symphony, $10,000, while most items are three figures, a few, two. The fun to be had isn't so much in seeing the low nominal dollar amount -- everyone knows that the dollar then is not a dollar now -- but at gasping at the changes in relative values among these items. 4to. 28 by 18.5 cm. 55 leaves, not including blanks. 50 numbered items showcased, with a description on the left (carrying a number at the bottom), a photo of the book taking up the entirety of the facing page. Three leaves at end with header "Memorandum" and blank below for the catalogue user to make notes if so desired. The catalogue was definitely meant to have a look of permanence as well as be in keeping with the rarefied material the store was advertising, and given that Scribner's business was primarily publishing, burnish the prestige of that as well. The design of the catalogue exudes taste, with its wide gold paper pastedown carrying the title. A statement is also made by the generous spread lavished on each item. These aren't mere books, it is telling us, but cultural monuments that deserve our reverence. The binding has light wear -- light edge and corner rubbing, Otherwise tight, clean.