Page:Notes by the Way.djvu/339

 NOTES BY THE WAY.

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��1869, which realized 3,985Z. ; hooks from William Perm's library ; and the stock of John Carnden Hotten, the publisher, 3,1511. The greatest of all, however, was the Sunderland Library in 1881-3, which brought 60,OOOZ.

To the influence of Fell Puttick is due the unique position the firm occupies in reference to all sales connected with the world of music. He was a great friend of Costa, and for years occupied the position of honorary secretary of the Sacred Harmonic Society. His charm of manner endeared him to all its members, and he caused many a full band rehearsal to be held in his auction-room in the Square, under the leadership of the beloved conductor, Sir Michael Costa. Sunday morning was Costa's favourite time for rehearsing the principals, and he was often heard to praise the fine acoustic properties of the old rooms, which have been still further improved in the rebuilding by the addition of a domed ceiling.

EARL HOWE'S SHAKESPEARE QUARTOS AND FOLIOS.

At the sale at Sotheby's on Saturday, December 21st, 1907, a placard in the auction-room announced that the twenty-eight Quartos had been sold privately en bloc, but the purchaser (the secret of whose name is well retained, Mr. Tom Hodge being both deaf and dumb when asked to reveal it) had instructed the auc- tioneers to offer, on his account, fourteen of these to public auction. The following particulars are taken from The Daily Telegraph of December 23rd :

"The first Quarto submitted was the fourth edition (1611) of ' Hamlet,' no copy of which has apparently been at auction since the 331. specimen in the Tite Sale, 1874. After a longish duel, Mr. Sotheran had the call on Mr. Quaritch at 400Z. As it turned out, this result formed a precedent for the fate of thirteen out of the fourteen Quartos. Mr. Sotheran only once being defeated. The single exception was in the case of the 1631 ' Love's Labour 's Lost,' the second edition of the Quarto, a copy of which brought half a guinea in the Heber Sale. The Howe specimen now realized 20 II. (Quaritch). The other Quartos falling to Mr. Sotheran were 'Hamlet' (1637), 60/. ; 'Henry IV., Part I.' (1632), 601. ; ' Henry V.' (1608), 104Z. ; ' Henry VI., Parts II. and III.' (1619), 1201. ; 'King John' (1622), 601. ; 'Richard III.' (1629), 1151. ; ditto (1634), 68Z. ; 'Merry Wives of Windsor' (1619), 160Z. ; 'Pericles' (1619), 651. ; 'Romeo and Juliet' (1637), 40J. ; and ' Romeo and Juliet ' (1599), 165/. The Perkins copy of the last made 164Z. in 1889.

" The part of the sale was then reached which, to be accurate, could be described as the only part in possession of Earl Howe on the day of sale. Seven examples of ' doubtful ' plays ensued, but there was an absence of that enthusiasm which urged Mr. Jackson to give 1,210Z. on June 1 for the very rare 1592 Quarto ' Arden of Faversham.' The uncommon and little-known 1602 'Cromwell ' became Mr. Quaritch's at 222/., and the 1613 edition of the same chronicle of ' Thomas, Lord

��Sir Michael Costa.

��1908, Jan. 4.

Earl Howe's

Shakespeare

Quartos and

Folios at

Sotheby's.

�� �