American Art Association (New York)

(29.5 cm), (10) 84 pp. 168 lots. Publisher’s printed wrappers. - The gem of the collection was the Anglo-Saxon manuscript known as the Blickling Homilies (lot 2); sold for $55,000 (with John H. Scheide as underbidder) to the agent of Cortlandt Bishop (1870-1935), it returned to the market in the Bishop sale (Anderson Galleries, 5 April 1938, lot 285), and this time was acquired for Scheide (now Princeton University, Scheide Library, M71). Other extraordinary, early manuscripts were the Tickhill Psalter of about 1310, sold for $61,000 (now New York Public Library, Spencer Collection, Ms. 026), and a French translation of St. Augustine’s “De civitate dei” of about 1410, sold for $31,500 (bought by Cortlandt Bishop; returned to the market in his sale, 1938, when acquired by Philip S. Collins; gift of Mrs. Philip S. Collins to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, 1945-65-1). Among printed books were the 1476 Boccaccio ($45,000; now Boston Museum of Fine Arts, 32.458), two perfect Caxtons in one volume ($7000), and valuable Americana. Nonetheless, the total was less than expected, and the sale generally reckoned to be a disappointment. Preface by Seymour de Ricci. George L. McKay, American book auction catalogues 1713-1934, no. 9397. Unillustrated issue. ¶ Upper wrapper dusty. Priced in pencil.