Although many dealers, collectors and librarians today do not know of
H.P. Kraus and Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach, Kraus autobiography, "Old and
Rare: A Rare Book Saga" and the biography of Rosenbach, by Fleming and
Wolf. John Fleming was also a great dealer, whom many may not know
today. He and Wolf worked for Fleming. Wolf was a relative of
Rosenbach, and later became librarian at the Library Company of
Philadelphia, and Fleming took over the Rosenbach business.
It's a bit sad that many of the newer people in the field of books do
not know who these legendary dealers were. David A. Randall, was
another one, and his book "Dukedom Large Enough" was what gave me an
appetite for old and rare books.
Basbanes books are of course well known. His first, "A Gentle
Madness," was a New York Times bestseller, and his subsequent books are
wonderful. I especially like some of the chapters in the second book
he wrote on book collecting, "Patience and Prudence." Nick Basbanes
may be the only journalist who understands the antiquarian book world;
that includes libraries, collectors and delaers.
All of the above books have wonderful anecdotes, and are fast reading.
They can all be read on the beach, on a vacation, etc.
Sincerely,
Bruce J. Ramer
Bruce J. Ramer
Experimenta Old and Rare Books
401 East 80th Street, Suite 24-J
New York, NY 10021
Telephones (212) 772-6211 and 772-6212
Fax (212) 650-9032
E-mail bjramer@mindspring.com
Member: ABAA (Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America) and
ILAB (International League of Antiquarian Booksellers)
Established in June 1980
Search a database with a selection of our stock at the following
web-address: <http://www.ilab-lila.com> THEN PUT IN MY NAME, AND WHEN
MY LISTING COMES UP, CLICK ON "SEARCH OUR DATABASE."