Book Prices Current, Vol. XIII. (Elliot Stock. 27s. 6d. net.)-This
volume contains the sales for the season 1898.99, a season which may be described as distinctly successful from the commercial point of view. The number of lots was not so great as it has commonly been of late years (36,728, as against a maximum of 51,108 in 1893-94), but the sum realised was much larger, £109,141, showing an average of £2 19s. 5d., as against £1 6s. 7d. in 1892-93. "The Compleat Angler" is one of the books to which one naturally turns, but no perfect copy of the first edition came into the market. The first five editions in uniform binding brought £235; the first, more or less imperfect, £161, and £91. Some forty volumes, including the five first mentioned, realised close upon £400. The "large-paper" "Badminton Library" was sold for various prices ranging from £26 for " Hunting " to .31 for "Cycling," and the same for "Dancing." Of tbe " small-paper " nine volumes fetched an average of 5s. 1d., and the complete set of twenty-eight volumes ..38, or 5s. 8d. On the whole one may say that mere fads have a tendency to die out. Few really worthless books, however rare they may be, retain the artificial value that they may gain for a time.
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