I meant Wolf and Fleming on Rosenbach (1960) of course. Sorry.
Donald Farren
4009 Bradley Lane
Chevy Chase, MD 20815-5238
dfarren@concentric.net
voice 301.951.9479
fax 301.951.3898
mobile 301.768.8972
-----Original Message-----
From: Exlibris [mailto:EXLIBRIS@MAIL.ECW.NAME] On Behalf Of Donald Farren
Sent: Sunday, July 30, 2006 2:33 PM
To: EXLIBRIS@MAIL.ECW.NAME
Subject: Re: Best Memoirs of Book Collectors/Dealers?
As a long-time enthusiast of the literature of collecting, I'm fascinated by
the alacrity and range with which nomination have been posted. A
psychologist could figure out what a nomination says about the nominator.
That thought applies to my recommendation of Lessing Rosenwald's
_Recollections of a collector_, especially the first chapter, his "apologia"
as a collector, in which Rosenwald writes that he collects because he "wants
to know".
In addition to recommending Rosenwald's memoirs (unfortunately a rare book),
I too also recommend Wolf and Fleming on Rosenwald (1960). When I was
growing up in this business, at the time the book was published, _Rosenbach_
was REQUIRED READING for anyone serious about rare books.
I find interesting that most of the works nominated are of fairly recent
date: no Richard de Bury, no Dibdin (until John Windle looked back; see his
bibliography of Dibdin), not even any of the works of dear old Eddie Newton
(until David Klappholz looked back; see his several publications on Newton),
which in their time, the 1910s, 20s and 30s, had wide influence. Which
reminds me that one person's favorite can make another person squirm with
distaste -- a stricture perennially applicable.
Donald Farren
4009 Bradley Lane
Chevy Chase, MD 20815-5238
dfarren@concentric.net
voice 301.951.9479
fax 301.951.3898
mobile 301.768.8972
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