Bernard Quaritch letter (1870)
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On headed stationery, in a handwritten letter of 8 March 1870, Bernard Quaritch the London bookseller offers to show Samuel Timmins, Honorary Secretary of the Shakespeare Memorial Library, a copy of Shakespeare's first folio.
He kept it in his private rooms with the key in his pocket, describing it as a volume that cannot be shown to everybody. The library did not purchase this copy, because a number of rare quartos became available at that time and those were bought instead. This may have proved fortuitous because many books were destroyed by the fire that struck the library in 1879.
Transcription:
"Bernard Quaritch Letter
Bernard Quaritch, Bookseller, Central Agency for procuring rare books.
The Letter:
London, 13 Piccadilly, W. 8 March 1870
Dear Sir,
I shall be at home tomorrow Wednesday, between 11 and 12, and show you my Shakespeare.
On the same day I shall be absent from my shop between a quarter to 2 and a quarter to 4.
The volume is in my private room, locked up, and the key is in my pocket.
A volume like that cannot be shown to everybody.
It will give me very great pleasure to show it to you.
I remain dear sir, your very obedient servantB Quaritch
(To Sam Timmins Esq.)"
