The Riant Collection in the Harvard College Library
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Among Harvard's Libraries: The Riant Collection in the Harvard College Library The Harvard community has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters Citation Walsh, James E. 1996. Among Harvard's Libraries: The Riant Collection in the Harvard College Library. Harvard Library Bulletin 6 (2), Summer 1995: 5-9. Citable link http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:42665376 Terms of Use This article was downloaded from Harvard University’s DASH repository, and is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Other Posted Material, as set forth at http:// nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of- use#LAA Among Harvard's Libraries 5 THE RIANT COLLECTION IN THE HARVARD have visited Picard in Paris, for on 30 Septem- CoLLEGE LIBRARY ber 1899 he wrote to Lane: Will you kindly submit to the Library James E. Walsh Council the following proposition for n 29 March 1896 the Parisian bookseller the purchase of the Riant Collection 0 A. Picard, agent for the sale of the Riant whose catalogue you have now in Collection, wrote to Justin Winsor, librarian your hands. If the Harvard Library will of Harvard College: contribute two thousand dollars to this purchase and take the necessary steps, Je suis charge de negocier la vente I agree that the two thousand remain- d'une Bibliotheque fort importante et ing from my Father's gift oflast year be d'un interet fort particulier. II s' agit de devoted to the same purpose; I offer la collection des livres Scandinaviens two thousand more in his name, and I assemblee par feu Monsieur le Comte undertake to guarantee the remainder, Riant dont je vous envoie d'ailleurs le up to the sum of ten thousand dollars, catalogue par le meme courir. ... Le thereby making a total of sixteen thou- prix auquel je suis autorise traiter a sand dollars or eighty thousand francs. serait de quinze dixhuit mille francs. a The amount that I shall have to pay Je vous prie de m'accuser reception du will be the difference between the sum catalogue. that is required (over and above the six Winsor's response, if any, is not preserved, thousand dollars from the other but Picard's offer was obviously made to other sources) to complete the purchase and libraries as well, and this Scandinavian section the sum which will be realized, after of the Riant collection found a buyer in the deducting legitimate expenses, by the JAMES E. WALSH is Keeper of Yale University Library. The Riant catalogue sale of those books which the Harvard Printed Books, emeritus, in the was published in three volumes, I 896--99; the Library does not want. It is understood Houghton Library. His Cata- first volume contained the Scandinavian that, except by special consent, that logue of the Fifteenth-Century books, and it was for that reason that they sale should include all duplicates, the Printed Books in the Harvard were offered for sale separately. When the section on theology (etc., sections II to University Library 1s neanng second and third volumes of the catalogue VII [of the Riant catalogue] inclusive) completion. appeared in 1899, the new Librarian of and perhaps the section of manuscripts Harvard College, William Coolidge Lane though I shall hardly insist on this last (Winsor having died in 1898), on 26 July 1899 if the Library seriously wants it. It wrote to Picard to ask what the conditions seems to me that the expenses to be would be for acquiring parts of the Riant li- legitimately deducted from the brary; and he must also have asked Alfred C. amount realized by the sale of dupli- Potter, at that time in charge of the Order cates etc. include the cost of a new Department in the College Library, to sound catalogue, if one is advisable, advertis- out Picard, for on 13 August 1899 Potter ing, commissions, taxes, etc. but not wrote to Lane from Shaftesbury in England, any work done in the Harvard Library where he was on a bicycling tour: in looking up titles etc. nor binding, nor the freight charges from Paris to I saw Picard in Paris the other day Cambridge. about the Riant books, & I am sorry to I have but two conditions to make say that he is entirely unwilling to en- to my offer. First, that the Library be- tertain any offer for separate parts of sides undertaking all the work should the collection. If it is not sold as a also furnish temporarily all the money whole, it will be put up at auction & (above the available six thousand) that we must take our chances at the sale. is required, and merely present the bill The books themselves are in Switzer- without interest to me in the end. I land, so of course I could not see them. undertake to pay it promptly, and even Altogether I feel that my mission to in case of my death sufficient provision Paris was not very successful. has been made. Sometime during August or September of Second, in the unlikely case that so that year Archibald Cary Coolidge, Assistant much money is received from the sale Professor of History at Harvard, must also of duplicates etc. that not only noth- 6 HARVARD LIBRARY BULLETIN ing is required of me but even a sur- ther details in regard to the delivery of plus comes back to the Library, that the books & the sale of those to be left surplus shall go to reestablishing my with you can be arranged, I have no Father's fund for the purchase ofbooks doubt with mutual satisfaction, later. on the Eastern Question which will I cabled to you on Oct. 2 that an have been devoted to this transaction. offer would be sent, and have waited until today only in order that I might On receipt of this letter Lane cabled Picard have the formal authorization of the on 2 October to tell him that a formal offer Library Council. would be on its way as soon as authorization If this offer is accepted, I will ask was made by the Library Council. This was you kindly to send me 3 copies of the promptly forthcoming, and on 6 October Catalogue which I shall find it conve- Lane wrote to Picard that he has understood nient to use. from Potter "and in consequence of Prof. Coolidge's interview with you which he has On the following day, 7 October 1899, reported to us," that the collection must be Lane wrote again to Picard in response to a sold as a whole. He continues: cable: The Library Council has decided to It was with great satisfaction that I re- make you the following offer, which I ceived your cable message yesterday hope you will find satisfactory. informing me that the price of the Riant Collection had been reduced to r. To offer 75000 fr. for the whole col- 70000 francs, and I immediately cabled lection (in which are included I under- to you our acceptance of the collection stand, the 1 17 manuscripts catalogued at that price. on pp. xlvi-xlviii.) I had written to you on the 5th inst. 2. To ask you to sell for us such books offering a different sum & proposing as are duplicates of what we already certain terms of payment. 1 In regard to have (such as nos .... to name a few the latter, I shall be quite willing, in extensive sets) and possibly contain consideration of the lower price at whole sections in which we are less which the collection is sold, to with- interested, such as sections II-VII [of draw the stipulation that the books theology]. Those books which we shall be delivered packed & readyfor wish to retain to be delivered in Paris shipment & to agree that the Harvard without additional charge, properly Library shall be at the expense of pack- boxed & ready for shipment to ing & packing-cases for shipment from America. Paris to America. The other proposi- tions in regard to payment I hereby 3. To pay (1) 5000 fr. immediately on confirm & hope you will find them the acceptance of this offer, (2) to pay satisfactory. 3 5000 fr. on receipt of the books in We shall immediately proceed to America, (3) to settle whatever balance compare the printed catalogue of the is due after the sale of what we wish to Collection with the catalogue of this sell through you. Library so as to inform you as early as If these terms, or terms on practically possible what books we shall ask you this basis, are satisfactory to you I shall to sell for us again in Paris, and in the be obliged if you will cable me, ad- meantime we should like to arrange dressing Harvard Library, Cambridge. with you the terms on which you will I have asked my friend Mr. L. W. undertake to make this sale for us. Pulsifer, now studying in Paris, to call One section of the collection (nos. on you as my representative in order 3255-3752) we particularly desire to that, if any other necessary points receive as soon as may be, and we shall ought to be considered without delay, examine the titles in this section first. 2 you may discuss them with him. Fur- If the collection is in such condition 1 The letter referred to must be that dated 6 October. Perhaps 2 This section of the catalogue lists the material about the it was dictated on the 5th but not typed up until the 6th.