Even yet, however, the earlier productions of the Aldine press maintain their former position: perhaps they have even surpassed it, for as specimens of ancient typography they stand unrivalled. Reference is made chiefly to works dated before 1500, and to such exceptional specimens as the _Virgil_ of 1501, some of which are still worth more than their weight in gold. The majority of works from this famous press have, however, fallen enormously in value of late years, as witness the fine copy of Augurellus, 1505, 8vo, beautifully bound in blue morocco, which quite recently was sold by auction for less than a sovereign: some few years ago it would have brought three times the amount, and been considered cheap even then.
By way of illustration, I cannot do better than give a few examples of modern prices, comparing them with the approximate amounts which would have been obtained some twenty-five or thirty years ago.
_Homeri Opera_, 2 vols. 8vo, red morocco extra, gilt edges, _Venetiis_, Aldus, 1524, £3 15s. Would have sold for £9 or £10.
_Silius Italicus de Bello Punico_, old Venetian binding, gold tooling, lettered in gold, gilt edges, _Venetiis_, Aldus, 1523, £1 18s. Would have sold for about £5.
_Virgilius, cura Aldi Pii Manulii_, red morocco, gilt edges, by Roger Payne, _Venetiis_, Aldus, 1514, £4 5s. Sold in 1825 at from £10 to £12 in equally good binding.
_Psalterium Græce_, a fine copy, in blue morocco, with gilt edges, _Venetiis_, Aldus, no date, but about 1498, £12. Notwithstanding the fact that this is one of the few fifteenth century books from the Aldine press, its value has declined about 25 per cent.
_Quintiliani Institutiones_, fine copy in russia, gilt edges, _Venetiis_, Aldus, 1521, on title 1522, 14s. Former price about £4.
_Aristophanis Comoediæ_, first edition, fine copy in russia, gilt edges, _Venetiis_, Aldus, 1498, a rare book, £4. Former price about £15.
_Thucydidis Historia_, first edition, and one of the few copies printed on fine paper, old russia, gilt, _Venetiis_, Aldus, 1502, a very scarce book in this condition, £2 14s. Former price from £12 to £15.
The above examples are taken from a single catalogue, and, if occasion demanded, the list could be indefinitely increased. They will, however, be sufficient to show that if the good old days when Eliot's _Indian Bible_ of 1661, now worth considerably more than £500, could have been got for thirty shillings or less, are not likely to return, there is yet plenty of opportunity for picking up rare books at a moderate price, and for much less than would at one time have had to be paid for them.