Who Represents You?

HE final contact between the book and

the holiday customer is the retail sales

man, and many customers must be served by those who have only had short experience in the business. That increasing attention is being given to the proper selection and training of these salesmen is everywhere evidenced. A survey by the University of Pittsburg which is summarized in this week's issue outlines the best practice of department stores, and, if this practice were made universal, there would be much better and more intelligent service this year than ever before.

Booksellers realize how difficult the situation of the new salesman is, as he must receive all kinds of inquiries from all kinds of people and cannot judge of the proper answer from the brief experience which he has had. It is also hard for him to get prompt and full information from the overbusy "regulars," who are sure to have their hands full as the pressure of Christmas approaches. Only by the best of cooperative spirit can full book service be rendered.

UN

International Prominence NDOUBTEDLY many people began their reading of Anatole France from a curiosity as to why there was such universal recognition of his eminence. That is a sound reason for book buying and one which developes many readers for the old classics. It should also increase the sales of the books by living writers when their eminence is unquestionable.

Who else is there writing today whose works are called for in the bookstores because of the universal recognition given them? Probably Maurice Maeterlinck of Belgium, Hauptmann and Sudermann in Germany, Tagore of India, D'Annunzio in Italy, Hardy, Kipling and Shaw in England, Rolland in France. These are all in the field of creative literature, and to such a list should be added Bergson of France, Einstein of Germany, Croce of Italy-all great thinkers whose books have had and continue to have international influence.

Bookstores, from their own experience, mav add others to this list and there could hardly be a better reason for displaying and urging the sale of a book than that the author had achieved an international as well as a national recognition. Whether similar writers can be named on an American list will depend on their reputation in Europe and not on their reputation on this side of the water.

L

The Vanishing Sub-Title AURA JEAN LIBBEY died in Brooklyn last Sunday at the age of sixtytwo years. She was an author whose name became a synonym for a type of sentimental fiction of a generation ago. The type of story that she produced seems today so far back of the popular reading interest that many would hardly believe that she was a woman of but sixty-two years, whose books were largely the product of the eighties and nineties. Earlier than that, however-in fact, when she was only fourteen-the New York Ledger had accepted a first manuscript and paid her five dollars for it. Her name from that time on was connected with the houses which have produced large distribution for paper-covered fiction, Bonner, Munro, Ogilvie and Street & Smith. Miss Libbey's books were usually provided with second titles and a list of some of these shows perhaps more clearly than anything else could why her name stands for a certain type of fiction:

"Leonie Locke, or The Romance of a

Beautiful New York Working Girl." "Madolin Rivers, or The Little Beauty of Red Oak Seminary."

"Miss Middleton's Lover, or Parted on Their Bridal Tour.'

"All for Love of a Fair Face, or A Broken Betrothal."

"Little Rosebud's Lovers, or A Cruel Revenge."

N

O library sale of recent years has a more direct and personal interest to the American book-trade than that of the William Harris Arnold books and manuscripts in the Anderson Galleries on November 10th and 11th.

Mr. Arnold was a leading figure in the book-trade from the days when he first organized Wanamaker's book department in the early eighties until his death, when he was director of the Syndicate Trading Company book business and honorary member of the American Booksellers' Association.

gave

That he was one of America's great book collectors as well as a great handler of books has long been known to his business friends, and his volume of two years ago, "Adventures in Book Collecting," some idea of the direction of his taste and skill in collecting. Even with this indication of the treasures he had gathered, such a catalog as that issued by the Anderson Galleries comes as an event of deepest interest. There are something over 1,000 items, each one reflecting the collector's personal taste and his unflagging interest in the arduous work of gathering the rare and interesting.

Think of owning the copy of "A Child's Garden of Verse" that Stevenson presented to Allison Cunningham, the nurse who made his young life happy, or a letter from Laurence Sterne to David Garrick, asking for the loan of twenty pounds to help him go on his "Sentimental Journey," or a letter from Walter Scott sending to a friend a copy of "Waverley" and expressing the wish that he might have both the credit and the profit of that then anonymous book, or a letter from Poe analyzing the meaning of "The Raven," or an autographed document of Napoleon's great address to the army of Italy written in his own hand while at St. Helena. There are scores of items of this character and first editions of the greatest rarity.

In a foreword to the catalog, Mrs. Arnold expresses the wish that her husband's treasures "may find abiding places in the homes of other true collectors and bring to them the happiness they brought to us. To my son and me, this collection is primarily an expression of the lovable and noble nature of William Harris Arnold, who so generously shared his happiness with others that they in turn rejoiced in his good fortune."

As a preface R. B. Adam of Buffalo, himself both a merchant by profession and collector by natural taste, writes a delightful appreciation of his friend.

INTRODUCTION

"Books have that strange Quality, that being of the frailest and tenderest Matter, they out-last Brass, Iron and Marble."

I

Like Plato, the prince of ancient bookhunters, my friend Arnold, a prince of modern book-hunters, was always on the hunt for treasures of the bibliophile. admit he would not have pawned his "gold and silver plate," as did a French king, to enable him to purchase a coveted copy, or manuscript; yet by ceaseless and skilful search, he brought home many a prize, as famous hunters do, which their less fortunate competitors attribute to luck.

Arnold, he himself said, was a lucky collector, but was not his the rare luck of watchfulness, and of knowledge? Seldom was he seen, in his spare moments, without a book or a sale catalog in his hands.

In his business relations, he bought books by the thousands in the commercial field of books; but that did not deter him from becoming a discriminating collector in the higher fields of literature. Commercial

knowledge of books did not dull within him what Hazlitt calls "that fine sensibility which is proper to a bibliophile."

In 1898, Arnold published an interesting brochure, entitled "First Report of a BookCollector." In 1901, after several years of collecting, he sold a superior assemblage of books and letters, and a wonderful gathering of American first editions, including many rarities. From that time on, he built the collection now offered for sale.

A few short weeks before he crossed "the unrepassable line," at the beginning of the year 1923, he had completed a volume of essays, entitled, "Ventures in Book-Collecting," published in September, 1923, by his wife. In this volume, he writes, as he was wont to speak, in an ever radiant way of many of the treasures now before us in this catalog.

As we turn over the pages, our attention is arrested by the number of "Association" books, and autograph letters, which include an ample and an unusually varied cluster of names, some seen not frequently in catalogs.

If there is no dominating tone in the collection, there is an abundance of material, and a diversity of interest. To my mind, this is a sale of great moment to collectors, affording a scarce opportunity to fill some "aching void" in our book-shelves. Let us remember that “Life and Gold have wings," and that we should buy books and letters. while we may.

Association books-books with a personal interest, such as are many of Arnold'sare the collector's hope. Does it not arouse your imagination to touch a book that has upon the margins of its pages the pencillings of some immortal author; or to handle a book presented by one of fame to another, such as the one inscribed, "To William Wordsworth, from the Author, in affectionate reverence," or to look upon an autograph letter or a manuscript of one of the "few great voices of Time"?

There is a joy passing belief in the possesion of books which bear the stamp of perpetuity-old volumes "dark with tarnished gold," rare quartos, and first editions: but in books with autograph inscriptions, in letters and manuscripts of great writers, whose names shine brightly forever in "Fame's proud Temple," there is a more intimate reflection of the mind than there is in the printed work, and the autograph which cannot be duplicated is to be highly prized.

I cannot speak of this collection without a personal reference to William Harris

Ms. of a verse of four lines." These are the lines

"O shall we once again beneath the beams Of yon chaste moon renew this night's fond dreams

Or will her rays reflect a flickering path Across our lives' far separated streams?"

Fitzgerald notes that he had forgotten the name of the author of the quatrain. The British Museum could not name the author at Arnold's request. I told Arnold that I would discover the author for him, if possible; but for a long time I have searched in vain thru anthologies, "Keepsakes," and selections of old and new poems. This item should appeal to collectors of the Rubáiyát.

For me to elaborate upon special numbers in this catalog seems ostentatious.

From this host of names- -Coleridge, Keats, Lamb, Shelley, Wordsworth, Byron, Johnson, Swift, Pope, Addison, Steele, Thackeray, Dickens, Eliot, Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, Holmes, Bryant, et cetera -I cannot note particularities, because they are numberless.

Arnold was an authority on Tennyson and Stevenson, and under their names, incomparable items are here.

Supplementary List of Biographical Pamphlets

honored to have been in his coterie of friends. As fellow-collectors, A. Edward Newton, other friends and myself were more than once with him in his home, and those meetings linger in my memory, as do several occasions when Arnold was not the host, but when he was a fund of information about books and letters.

When Arnold left us to take the "supreme journey," it had been his expressed desire that the precious things of his in this catalog should eventually be sold by auction, realizing that they would thereby pass into the ownership of collectors who would regard them as he did.

I have always had a peculiar interest in No. 333, briefly described in this catalog, The memorandum refers to the metre used by Edward Fitzgerald in his English poetic version of the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, the Astronomer-Poet of Persia. Fitzgerald was "looking round for a suitable metre for the translation." The verse he came across is described as the "autograph

pamphlets issued by publishers is given below. It appears as a supplement to the more complete list published in the October II issue. Publishers issue these booklets from time to time and they usually can be procured on application.

THE MACMILLAN COMPANY Padraic Colum

James Bryce

Sir Harry Johnston
Jack London
St. John Ervine
Sara Teasdale

John Masefield (in preparation)
May Sinclair (in preparation)
William Allen White

CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS
Arthur Train

John Galsworthy
Meredith Nicholson

American Education Week

November 17-23

THIS year American Education Week is

to be held November 17-23. Last year, as it was held in December, no proper notice was given it by the booksellers. This year, since it occurs the week after Children's Book Week, an opportunity is offered to booksellers to cooperate. There will be quite an amount of publicity given to the week this year which the bookseller will do well to further.

Plans for proclamations by the President of the United States, by the governors of various states, and the mayors of cities have already been made more extensively than a year ago. During this week the bookseller will have every opportunity to tie up his business with the subject of education. There are to be several slogans for the week that can be used in windows and around the shop. These are "Children today, citizens tomorrow," "A man of knowledge increaseth might." Both of which will be appropriate in window displays with selected books of educational character on view.

On Monday, 17, 1924, the Educational Week will begin with "Constitution Day," followed by "Patriotism Day," November 18th; "School and Teacher Day," November 19th; "Illiteracy Day," November 20th; "Physical Education Day," November 21st; 'Community Day," November 22nd; "For God and Country Day," Sunday, November 23rd.

On every one of these days during Education Week there is an opportunity for appropriate displays by the bookseller. "Illiteracy Day" with the slogan "No illiteracy by 1930" suggests any number of ideas for efficient exploitation of books. The second slogan, "The dictionary is the beacon light to understanding," is as good a cue for concentration on the selling of dictionaries as has ever been offered to the enterprising bookseller.

The final day is concerned with the following:

"Education in the home"

"Education in the school"

"Education in the church"

Richmond's Book Fair

RICHMOND will have in November a

book fair of civic and state importance, conducted by Luella Duzan for Miller & Rhoads, the leading department store of the state, whose business ramifies thruout the southeast. Some years ago, Miss Duzan conducted another book fair, but this time the plans are on a much broader scale and the store is giving her all possible backing.

The book department will have for its use in the week of November 10th-15th the entire window frontage on Grace Street, and on the book department floor there will be triple the amount of usual space, with a 134 foot aisle leading direct from the big bank of elevators out thru the booth.

The Writers' Club of Virginia is giving strong backing to this event, and is making it of first interest to all its members. James Branch Cabell is one of the members of the club who is giving practical help.

The Virginia Historical Society has voted to supply a loaned exhibit from its extremely valuable collections, a thing it has not done since the Jamestown exhibition. Mr. Whitty has promised the loan of his Poeana, probably the finest collection in the world, and will give further help in arranging an exhibit of rare books. Poe's desk will be among the personal souvenirs shown.

The State Library has also become interested, and is giving every possible aid. The universities of the state are coming to Miss Duzan's assistance, and Professor Gordon of the University of Virginia is to be one of the speakers, and there will be others from William and Mary College. Douglas Freeman, literary editor of the News Leader, will preside at some of the meetings. Many prominent Richmond people will entertain guests for that week, literary people from a distance, and the Writers' Club is planning to give an artists' ball, while Miller & Rhoads are to give a reception.

The city of Richmond is a literary center. of unusual character, and the city sees in this plan of Miller & Rhoads a fine opportunity to reemphasize the literary significance of the city and the state.

N. Y. Compositors Ask Increase

denominations are urged to preach a sermon on education, either morning or evening. This day ends the week. Booksellers should lose no time in getting in touch with the proper groups in their respective cities, for proper cooperation.

is presenting a demand for a wage agreement to the Printers' League which will provide for a $1 increase on October Ist, 1925, and a $1 increase October 1st, 1926. The present scale is $53 a week. This demand was accepted by the Printers' League at a later meeting.

The J. K. Gill Company

OHN T. HOTCHKISS has described John JOHN plans of The J. K. Gill Co., in the following too-good-to-be-merely-quotedfrom letter:

"It is good of you to want me to tell about our Children's Book Week Plans in the columns of the Publishers' Weekly. I wish I could give you a story but simply cannot at this time. You see, some of our plans may not go thru and I am SO blessed superstitious that I cannot bring myself to "tell" before hand, anything but that which I am reasonably certain of. Do you ever have that feeling?

"Now-let us see. First and foremost this. November is the tenth anniversary of the "borning" of our model book shop for children. In 1914, we advertised in our local papers, that children's reading would receive special attention in our bookshop, and that a large room had been set aside as a place in which to display only the books recommended by the A. L. A. and the local library, and ourselves. Likewise, that long rows of books in series such as, well perhaps I'd best not mention them by name, but you know which ones, would be permanently discontinued in our store.

"Zowie! The commotion that it caused, especially among some of the representatives of some of the publishers, who could not grasp the practical basis underlying the idealism of this drastic change. Happily, the librarians, and the Parent Teachers, and the Scout Master groups, took up the cudgel with and for me. And so! Well, we shall celebrate! Birthday cake!! Ten candles!!! Gillikin, Our beloved book

sprite, who encourages us and whispers many delightful secrets to us, will cut the cake for the children. And what do you suppose will be in that lovely cake? No less than fifty small tickets bearing numbers that entitle the lucky boy or girl to a gift certificate, of from 25c. to $5.00! The Gift Certificate is redeemable in books, and even the smaller certificates can be applied on the purchase of some good book.

"Of course, we shall show our lovely birthday cake in the window! And send invitations to all the 4000 children on our Birthday mailing list. This is just bare bone telling you know.

"Plan No. 2 is a circus. A "Dolittle Circus"! In our window in pantomime, after the parade, yes, a regular parade! in the playgrounds, and down town. And not a Dolittle character missing! All there! In costume! And a performance in the Boys' and Girls' Own Book Shop in a tent, with sawdust, (don't you wish you could come?)

"Just before the Dolittle circus, there will be a short talk by the Children's Librarian of our Public Library, two local writers, Frances Gill and Theodore Harper will read, one from 'The Windy Leaf' a charming book of child verse, just new, and the other will read a fairy story from 'The Mushroom Boy' a new book much loved by the children.

"Maybe I'll send you a ticket to our circus, and perhaps a piece of our tenth. Birthday cake. And I hope you win a prize!

"P. S.-Yes, this is a regular letter, post script and everything. We shall make a special exhibit of original illustrations, some