Books and Prints Specially Wanted to be Purchased by Walter T. Spencer, 27, New Oxford Street, London, W.C

SPENCER Walter Thomas.

Edité par Walter T. Spencer, Printed by Harpur & Sons, Derby. [c.1910?], 1910

Sl. marking. Sewn as issued 24pp. BL only on Copac, which dates this as 'c.1920', but is quite possibly earlier as the latest date noted is 1899. An unusually extensive bookseller's catalogue in small format giving short descriptions of books wanted providing an interesting insight into what was in demand at the beginning of the twentieth century. 'Any parcels of books sent, I willingly pay carriage both ways, if we do not come to terms. Cash always sent by return post.' Walter Spencer, book and print seller, established his business in 1883. He published Forty Years in My Bookshop in 1923 and died in 1936, but the business continued until 1979 when the firm's archive was sold to the Bodleian. 'Tommy' as he was known was a friend of T. J. Wise and attracted customers from Gladstone to Gissing, Henry J. Heinz to Sir Henry Irving. Some of his methods were 'questionable', including creation of false provenance, faking Shaw letters, making up of books with unacknowledged facsimile pages (hence his request in his 'Wants List' - 'Shall be glad to hear of imperfect copies or odd vols of any books or odd plates on this list.'). Nevertheless, this list has been described as 'undoubtedly effective' and which 'could, to a great degree, have been the source of his fortune.'. N° de réf. du vendeur 99380

Détails bibliographiques

Titre : Books and Prints Specially Wanted to be ...
Éditeur : Walter T. Spencer, Printed by Harpur & Sons, Derby. [c.1910?]
Date d'édition : 1910