When the Free Public Library opened in 1869 there was a conscious decision to remove novels from the shelves - clearly a bad influence on young people and time-wasters. Curiously the novels of Walter Scott escape the embargo. Sighted this week was an 1870 list of novels removed from the collections and sent to the Asylum at Rozelle for the entertainment of the inmates. The list included the dubious but fascinating titles of Rough and Smooth, Nanette and her lovers, Respectable Sinners, Tempter and the Tempted. Also included were "Austin novels" - Emma, Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey and another subversive tale - The Last of the Mohicans.
Which leads me to a number of questions. Were these novels first editions? - a valuable loss! How do we select and preserve potential valuable or significant first editions for the future? eg. Did we purchase a first edition of any titles in the Harry Potter series - what condition are they now in? Do we purchase hardcover editions of new titles by significant authors - or paperbacks? We remove all book jackets from non-Australian titles thus de-valuing important titles. Finally, how many valuable first editions are lurking in the shelves unidentified and possibly heading out the door regularly on ILL?
A small example from a recent Bonhams sale. We do not have a hardcover edition of an early Tolkein - signed or not - although I remember clearly borrowing a copy from my primary school library!
Your thoughts?
( Arthur - No more files please...unless they refer to the Tangye brothers or George Chalmers manuscripts...)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
2 comments:
What a lovely and fascinating piece of collection trivia. Can you please supply a follow up on the effect of these suspect fictions - first editions or not - on the patients...
Mmmmm if ony we had a crystal ball it would be much easier!
Post a Comment