-BIBLIOMANIA ("book-madness0), a word formed from the Greek and signifying a passion for possessing rare or curious books. The true bibliomanist is determined in the purchase of hooks less by the value of their contents than by certain accidental circum stances attending them. To be valuable in his eyes they must belong to particular classes, be made of singular materials or have something remarkable in their history. Some books ac quire the character of belonging to particular classes from treating of a particular. subject: others from something peculiar in their mechanical execution (as the omission of the word "not" in the seventh command ment, which gives the Wicked Bible its name), or from the circumstance of having issued from a press of uncommon eminence, or be cause they once belonged to the library of an eminent man. But there are certain fashions in bibliomania and books much sought at one time may at another be comparatively neglect ed. Some collections of books may possess or have possessed much intrinsic value; such as collections of the various early editions of the Bible; collections of editions of single classics (for example, those of Horace and Cicero) ; the editions of the Greek and Latin classics in usum Delphini and cum notis vario rum; the editions of the Italian classics printed by the Academy della Crusca; works printed by the Elzevirs and by Aldus; the classics published by Maittaire or Foulis; and the celebrated Bipont editions, with others. It perhaps was more customary in former times than at present to make collections of books which have something remarkable in their his tory (for example, books which have become very scarce and such as have been prohibited), yet various scarce books arc highly prized on account of nothing but their rarity, the original (1786) Kilmarnock edition of Burns' Poems, for instance. First editions may be ranked in the same class. Books distinguished for re markable mutilations have also been eagerly sought for. Those which appeared in the in fancy of typography called Incunabuta, from the Latin now, a cradle, and among them the first editions (editiones principes) of the an cient classics, are Still in general request. An enormous price is frequently given also for splendid proof impressions of copperplate en gravings and for colored impressions: for works adorned with miniatures and illuminated initial letters; likewise for such as are printed upon vellum. Works printed upon paper of
uncommon materials or various substitutes for paper (asbestos, for instance), have been much sought after; likewise those printed upon colored paper. Other books in high esteem among bibliomanists are those which are print ed on large paper, with very wide margins. In English advertisements of rare books some one is often mentioned as particularly valuable on account of its being ((a tall copy*. If the leaves happen to be uncut the value of. the copy is much enhanced. Other works highly valued by bibliomanists are those which are printed with letters of gold or silver or inic of singular color; for example: (1) (Fasti Napoleonei) (Paris 1804, 4to), a copy on blue vellum paper with golden letters; (2) 'Magna Charta' (London 1816, fol.), three copies upon purple-colored vellum, with golden letters.
Bibliomania often extends to the binding. In France the bindings of Derome, Padeloup and Bozerian are highly valued; in England those of Charles Lewis and Roger Payne, among 18th century binders; while Heyday, Riviere, Bedford and Zaehnsdorf may be mentioned as among the notable craftsmen of the 19th. Even the edges of books are often adorned with fine paintings. Many devices have been adopted to give a fictitious value to bindings. Jeffery, a London bookseller, had Fox's (History of King James II) bound in fox-skin, in allusion to. the name of the au thor; and the famous English bibliomanist, Askew, even had a book bound in human skin. In the library of the castle of K8nigsberg are 20 books bound in silver (commonly called the silver library). These are richly adorned with large and beautifully engraved gold plates in the middle and on the corners. To the exterior decoration of boolcs belongs the bordering of the page.s with single or double lines, drawn with the pen (exemplaire regle), commonly of red color—a custom which we find adopted in the early age of printing in the works printed by Stephens. The custom of coloring engravings has generally been dropped, except in cases where the subject particularly re quires it (for instance, in works on natural history or the costumes of different nations), because the colors conceal the delicacy of the engraving.