Brian Sawyer

Updates from April, 2004 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

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  Brian Sawyer 3:58 pm on April 9, 2004 Permalink | Log in to leave a Comment  

  A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles 

  While I’m posting pictures of my departing OED volumes, it seems like a good time to remember what I still have (at least for now). Here are the final four books (making up the last two volumes) of the serially published A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles, which would later be printed under the name The Oxford English Dictionary:

  
  

  The books date from the early 1900s, and opening the final book reveals a newspaper clipping pasted to the inside of the front cover. The article, dated June 2, 1928, was written by W. A. Craigie himself to celebrate “The Completion of a Great Literary Project.”

  Like many of my best book discoveries, I found these volumes at the wonderful Brattle Book Shop in Boston for $5 each in their outdoor bargain section.
   

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  Brian Sawyer 3:47 pm on April 9, 2004 Permalink | Log in to leave a Comment  

  Parting Shot 

  Here’s one last look at my soon-to-be-departed OED:

  
   
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  Brian Sawyer 3:12 pm on April 9, 2004 Permalink | Log in to leave a Comment  

  Ex Libris 

  I recently mentioned the text I’ve used for my personalized bookplates. Here’s what my ex libris actually looks like:

  
   
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  Brian Sawyer 3:24 pm on April 8, 2004 Permalink | Log in to leave a Comment  

  Odd OED Volumes Go to a Good Home 

  Over the past few years, with great attention and care, I have collected nine odd volumes (out of twelve in the set, not including supplements) of the Oxford English Dictionary, First Edition (that’s first edition, though not first printing, which was titled A New English Dictionary on Historical Principals) and am now reluctantly ready to part with them.

  About half of the volumes I have are from the 1933 printing (red cloth covers), while the other half are from the 1978 printing (blue cloth covers). Here are the volumes I have:

  1. A-B
  2. C
  3. D-E

  {Missing}
  4. F-G
  5. H-K
  6. L-M
  {Missing}

  7. N-Poy
  8. Poy-Ry
  9. S-Soldo
  10. Sole-Sz
  11. T-U
  12. V-Z

  While the lexiconophilist in me hates to part with this treasure, my practical side tells me that these volumes are redundant for me (since I have the complete Compact Edition, with supplements) and are a burden I should unload before moving across the country.

  Even though they are incomplete and odd, I really wanted them to stay together. I was happy to find that the eponymous president of the publishing company for which I work, himself a fellow bibliophile, has offered to host my collection in the lobby of our California office, alongside the other books that spill over from his huge personal library.

  As much as it hurts to part with my favorite books, it’s good to know that they’re going to a good home. My legacy to the California office will benefit the rest of the company, as I move back to the office on the other coast. {sniff}
   
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  Brian Sawyer 3:26 pm on April 2, 2004 Permalink | Log in to leave a Comment  

  The Second Cut 

  I did it again. I’m now on my second chunk of A Suitable Boy: pages 399 to 822.