The Book-Hunter in London: Historical and Other Studies of Collectors and CollectingRoberts, W. (William)
History
The Book-Hunter in London: Historical and Other Studies of Collectors and Collecting
Roberts, W. (William)
Bibliomania; Book collecting; Booksellers and bookselling -- England -- London
During the last few years of the last century, and probably in
consequence of the greatly improved condition of the place, Piccadilly
and neighbourhood became favourite spots with booksellers, the more
notable being James Ridgway, whose 'repository of loyalty' was in York
Street, St. James's Square, who died in 1838, aged eighty-three years;
T. Hookham, Old Bond Street; and Stockdale, whose name will be for ever
associated with that of Erskine in connection with the liberty of the
press. Stockdale's shop, No. 178, Piccadilly, was for a long time in the
possession of Thomas Thorpe; the place has since been rebuilt. R.
Faulder, of New Bond Street, also deserves mention as being one of forty
booksellers against whom actions were brought for selling the 'Baviad
and Maeviad.' He is the Cunning Bookseller of Beloe, and appears to have
been one of the most assiduous frequenters of 'forced' sales of
household furniture, etc., where he often happened on books of rarity
and value. He 'accumulated a very large property and retired,' but the
_auri sacra fames_ pursued him to the end. William Clarke, of New Bond
Street, best remembered as the compiler of that very valuable work,
'Repertorium Bibliographicum,' 1819, was established as a bookseller in
1793. During the second half of the last century Samuel Parker and
Walter Shropshire were selling second-hand books in New Bond Street.
Thomas Beet, who retired from business ten years ago, was a well-known
bookseller of Bond Street and Conduit Street, and was a considerable
purchaser at the leading auction sales. He frequently had the honour of
submitting various special old books for the inspection of the Queen,
the Prince of Wales, and other members of the Royal Family, whilst his
shop in Conduit Street was a very popular resort of bookish men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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