type of book such as the cross word puzzle books, the Mah Jong books and the Coué books, naturally inspires a corresponding display.

When no timely idea presents itself you may want to use the entire window to feature some important book that has just been published. Or you can build your window around some special class of books -business books, biography, travel, art, poetry, etc.

Unity of Display

The question often arises as to the advisability of displaying books of various classifications in the window at the same time, such as mixing fiction with books of business, travel or unrelated subjects. To my mind the most effective display is devoted to a single type of book. The mixed window leaves an indefinite impression on the mind of the observer, whose eyes jump from a book on business to one on cooking or gardening. I am sure far more sales develop from a window that interests a particular class of people deeply than from a mixed display that can interest all classes but slightly.

Color Balance

Balance in color is a factor which can add a great deal to the beauty of a window. Many window dressers overlook this entirely and as a result make the mistake of red balanced by green and blue by yellow. If possible always try to give a harmonious color effect. If the display is a raised one it is best to put the deeper colors below and the lighter ones above. Price Cards

As a general rule price cards should be used, the knowledge of the price often influences a person to buy when otherwise he would feel uncertain as to whether he The window-dresser as many obstacles as he possibly can from the path of the prospective buyer.

could buy or not.

should remove

Time for Dressing Window

I would suggest Friday or Saturday evening as the most suitable time for dressing the window. The display will then be fresh for the Sunday passer-by and each week will begin with a practically new decoration. Generally speaking, one week should be sufficient for a display.

The present location is more advantageous than the former one, a block below on the same street, and the building more attractive and spacious than the old store. This

is the second

teen years of existence that The

Rare Book Shop has outgrown its old quarters and moved on to larger space and increasing opportunity.

The exterior appearance of the new shop challenges attention from even the indifferent and casual passerby. One window on the main floor displays rare and valuable books in beautiful old and new bindings, interesting autographs, quaint old pictures; and the other is given over to a well chosen selection of the better class of current books, which the store handles as a part of its stock. The large window of the second story is always occupied by a large

oil painting or rare print. Within, the shelves of beautiful and colorful bindings again impress the shopper with the suitability of the name given to the shop. Oriental rugs, a number of oil portraits, prints and ship models add to the attractiveness. At the rear, a central open staircase leads to the balcony which is exclusively devoted to prints, oil paintings, and maps. Needless to say, this portion of the shop is no less fascinating than that below. Front

and rear windows and a large skylight give a perfect light, unusual in a store of this size, for the enjoyment of these treasures.

James F. Meegan, proprietor of the shop, has built it up in the past fourteen years to a commanding and indeed unique position in its line in Washington. To his original line of scarce books he has added from time to time until at present he also does a considerable business in autograph letters, prints, maps, paintings, and ship models. His sources of supply are the usual ones-private collections bought as

a whole; individual rarities from auction rooms and dealers abroad. He makes on an average one trip a year to Europe, and has been especially interested. recently in. buying in England and France a number of the best authors in fine old contemporary bindings, and a large collection of clipper ships, both oil paintings and prints. He buys entire libraries when offered if they contain enough good material to warrant the purchase. After such a transaction he weeds out the books of little value and re-sells them to one of the secondhand dealers about town. In the better class of books, even tho not "rare," he does a considerable business.

Mr. Meegan says that the outstanding demand at the present time in books is for the eighteenth and nineteenth century authors in fine old contemporary bindings. The modern interior decorator, who is partly responsible for this, has a keen appreciation of the decorative value of beau

tiful books and has done much to initiate and foster an interest in them which, when once started, develops rapidly in the buyer. Quaint old maps, not merely geographical but beautifully drawn and brilliantly colored, segregated from ancient atlases procured principally in England, when framed form attractive and much coveted library wall pieces.

Mr. Meegan has made a specialty of Americana and has handled in the past few years some of the most valuable and complete autograph collections in the country, as well as rare historical and biographical material. At the present time he has in stock a number of original oil portraits by famous American painters-a George Washington by Gilbert Stuart, an Andrew Jackson by Thomas Sully, Commodore Macdonough by John Trumbull, and so

on.

The Rare Book Shop advertises both directly and indirectly. A general descrip

tive announcement runs in the city newspapers. The most efficacious methods are more personal, however, catalogs of new and old books are sent to the customer list, and last Christmas Mr. Meegan's clientele was delighted to receive from him a first edition of Lewis Carroll's "Feeding the Mind," a gift of considerable intrinsic value as well as a pleasing reminder of the shop. His personal touch with collectors and those who are interested in special lines enables him to do effective advertising by letter or telephone, giving information about new acquisitions to those who in each case will be most interested. In nine

cases out of ten such personal communications with collectors and readers along special lines result in sales.

As a highly specialized store in a capital city, The Rare Book Shop not only meets a great demand, but has done much to foster and build up an interest in rare books. Mr. Meegan passes on suggestions and information to professional writers and collectors, enlarges the interests of those who have recently acquired tastes in collecting, and by his own enthusiasm and discriminating judgment makes his shop a rendezvous to those of similar tastes in Washington.

i

T

BOOKSEL

MER

HE first blast from the horn of our chairman of the entertainment committee, Edwin Hyke, sounded thru the columns of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat last week. In the article he outlined a tentative program which includes the usual Monday night Get-Together dinner and dance, a sightseeing trip, a dinner at the Riverview Club, a luncheon for the ladies and a number of other features. The proposed tour of St. Louis looks exceedingly good, as it "will give opportunity for a drive thru Forest Park to view the university buildings, and a country drive by way of the Ferguson Road, thru the Belleriver and Glen Echo Club grounds to the Waterworks and Chain of Rocks." We are told by St. Louisans that it is well worth taking.

We find, too, that the convention is to have several "guests of note" including Temple Bailey and Fannie Hurst, Chancellor Hadley of Washington University, Dr. A. E. Bostwick, head of the St. Louis Public Library, Dr. Leon Harrison, E. Lansing Ray and C. S. Yost of the GlobeDemocrat, Joseph Pulitzer and George H. Johns of the Post-Dispatch, Homer Bassford of the Times and Elza Roberts and Frank Taylor of the Star.

With the aid of the St. Louis Convention and Publicity Bureau, and the members of his committee, Mr. Hyke is "whooping it up" to get a large attendance. The Hotel Statler has already reported a large registration for the meeting, and has promised to open the roof garden one week ahead of the scheduled time so that we may enjoy it.

Mrs. Eunetia Brady of the St. Louis Convention Bureau has been appointed chairwoman of the Women's Entertainment Committee and has as her assistants

a

Temple Bailey, Fannie Hurst, Jane Francis Winn, Shirley Seifert, Emily Hutchings, Mrs. Edwin I. Hyke, Mrs. P. J. Sefranka and Mrs. Jay Gelzer. Mr. Hyke's assistants are Paul Wielandy, Charles Baxter, Paul J. Sefranka, George Klages, J. H. Springer and Guy Turner.

Business Session Innovation Announced

President Walter V. McKee announces new method of handling the Round Table Conferences. Heretofore these conferences have covered a particular subject, something that might be of interest to every bookman and woman, but because they were being held simultaneously it has never been possible for one person to get around to all of them. An entire day of the 1926 convention will be devoted to this group work, but this year each group will be made up of persons who are interested in a particular kind of booksellhas always held its meetings in this way, ing. The College Bookstore Association and will be invited to join with us again

this year. There will also be religious book, small bookstore, large bookstore and

department store groups. All of the problems of the various types of book outlets may therefore be discussed in detail and the attending member will not feel that he is missing a good talk on the selling of children's books in order to attend one on advertising. Each table will have its own chairman and speakers, and will tell of the work that its members should do in conjunction with the Association so that a complete "tie-up" may be had.

It is time to think of going to St. Louis. We can't leave our businesses at a moments notice and must make our plans in advance. There is a question, too, of hotel accommodations. Better write the Hotel Statler at once and make your reservations.

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