s _Compleat Angler_, in the original bindings (three sheep and
two calf) as issued by the publisher. Books also worthy of special
notice were the beautifully illuminated copies of Boccaccio's _Ruine des
Nobles Hommes_, printed by Colard Mansion at Bruges in 1476; the _Opera
Varia Latine_ of Aristotle, printed on vellum by Andrea de Asula at
Venice in 1483; and _Heures de la Vierge Marie_, also printed on vellum,
by Geoffroy Tory in 1525. A catalogue of the more rare and curious
printed books in the library was privately printed in 1864.

Although bookbindings did not form a special feature of the library,
Lord Ashburnham possessed some remarkably fine and interesting examples
of them. That on a tenth century manuscript of the Gospels, which for
many centuries belonged to the Abbey of Noble Canonesses at Lindau, on
the Lake of Constance, is one of the finest specimens of gold and
jewelled bindings to be found in any collection. This beautiful work of
art, the lower cover of which is of the eighth century and the upper of
the ninth, is of gold or silver gilt, and is profusely decorated with
jewels. It is described in the _Vetusta Monumenta_ of the Society of
Antiquaries, and was shown at the Exhibition of Bookbindings at the
Burlington Fine Arts Club in 1891.[100] The collection also contained a
particularly fine mosaic binding, with doublures, by Monnier, and many
volumes from the libraries of Grolier, Maioli, the Emperor Charles V.,
De Thou, etc.

Lord Ashburnham's printed books were sold in three portions in 1897 and
1898 by Sotheby, Wilkinson and Hodge. The first sale took place on June
25th, 1897, and seven following days; the second on December 6th, 1897,
and five following days, and the third on May 9th, 1898, and five
following days. There were four thousand and seventy-five lots in the
three sales, and the total amount realised was sixty-two thousand seven
hundred and twelve pounds, seven shillings and sixpence.

Very high prices were obtained for the books. The _Biblia Pauperum_
block-book sold for a thousand and fifty pounds; the vellum copy of the
Gutenberg Bible for four thousand pounds, the largest sum paid for a
copy of this Bible, and the highest but one ever given for a printed
book (Lord Ashburnham's copy on paper was sold privately to Mr. Quaritch
for three thousand pounds); the Latin Bible of 1462 for fifteen hundred
pounds; and the Coverdale Bible and Tyndale's Pentateuch for eight
hundred and twent