Index to the Cartalogue of Books in the Bates Hall of the Public Library of the City of Boston
Boston: J.E. Farwell and Co., 1865. Thick Large Octavo. Item #032776
Second stereotype edition, viii, [1] pp. explanation, 902 pages, in alphabetical double columns. This index was for use by the library's citizens which covers about fifty-five thousand volumes, all residing in the Upper Hall of the building. The previous index, published in 1858, with its supplements came near the end of 1860 and it covered around nineteen thousand volumes in the Lower Hall. All the books covered within this volume were either given by benefactors or have been purchased with the library's funds specifically for this purpose. After producing a very large catalogue for Brown University in 1838, the major bibliographer who was committed to Panizzi's principles in the British Museum. When James Smithson was appointed in 1846 by Congress to establish a major institution, later to be known as the Smithsonian, Jewett was selected to head its library. When Jewett saw they wanted a very limited size library, he then became the librarian at the Boston Public Library which in ten years became the 2nd largest library in the nation. The listing of each book and their organization makes this a fascinating book in the period just as the Civil War was ending. It had many very rare books of history and the classics but no listing for Jane Austen or Henry David Thoreau. A good copy bound in brown cloth centrally stamped in gilt to both boards, spine lettered and stamped in gilt, some chipping or short splits to cloth at spine ends, partial piece of library shelf sticker, and a small hole in spine, wear to corners, ex-library label to front pastedown, binders flaw to upper corners of two leaves. A very good copy.
Price: $90.00