Block books are of such excessive rarity that they have always been high priced, but like the earliest books printed from movable types, they have greatly increased in value of late years. This is seen in the case of the copy of the second edition of the Biblia Pauperum, which fetched £1050 at the Earl of Ashburnham’s sale. This same copy brought £257 at Willett’s sale, but at Hanrott’s the price fell to the small amount of £36, 15s.
The following are some of the prices that those magnificent books—the Mazarin Bible and the first Bible with a date—have realised:—
Biblia Sacra Latina (Moguntiæ, Gutenberg et Fust, circa 1450-55):—
On vellum—G. & W. Nicols, 1825, £504 (Messrs. Arch for H. Perkins). H. Perkins, 1873, £3400. Earl of Ashburnham, 1897, £4000.
On paper—Sykes, 1824, £199, 10s. (H. Perkins). Hibbert, 1829, £215. Bishop of Cashel, 1858, £595. H. Perkins, 1873, £2690. Thorold (Syston Park), £3900. Earl of Gosford, 1884 (vol. i. in original binding), £500. Earl of Crawford, 1887, £2650. Earl of Hopetoun, 1889 (one leaf injured, and slightly wormed), £2000.
Biblia Sacra Latina (Moguntiæ, Fust et Schoeffer, 1462) [first Latin Bible with a date]:—
On vellum—
| Duc de la Valliere, 4085 francs. | Same copy. | |
|---|---|---|
| Count MacCarthy, 4750 francs. | ||
| Watson Taylor, 1823, £215. | ||
| Dent, 1827, £173. | ||
| H. Perkins, 1873, £780. | ||
| Earl of Crawford, 1887, £1025. |
The Lamoignon copy, bought by Mr. Cracherode for 250 guineas, is now in the British Museum. Sunderland, 1881, £1600. Thorold, £1000.