1920's The Arts | Rosenbach, A. S. W. 1876-1952

BOOKMAN

"The Napoleon of the Auction Room."

Dr. Abraham Simon Wolfe Rosenbach was the greatest rare-book dealer in the world during the 1920s; indeed, he is regarded as the greatest one who ever lived. Combining scholarship with salesmanship and showman-ship, Rosenbach bought and sold more great books and manuscripts and built more major collections than anyone else. He boasted that the books and manuscripts in his vault were worth more than the total inventory of Macy's department store.

An Era of Bibliophiles.

Great men match their times; their achievements are encouraged by the spirit of an era. The 1920s produced wealthy collectors who cherished their books and enjoyed the competition for rarities. By setting record prices in the auction rooms of New York and London, Rosenbach validated the cultural and investment values of books and manuscripts.

Training.

A Philadelphian, Rosenbach was...