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CHARLES SESSLER 80 YEARS OLD ON NOV. 5Distinguished Bibliophile’s Interest-*11 i CareerMonday. November 5, will markthe eightieth birthday anniversaryof the distinguished bibliophile and book seller, Charles Sessler, and#CHARLES SESSLERit is a comfort and a joy to the host of friends of this genial gentleman, in all parts of the world, to know that he approaches this high age in good health and spirits. He is at his office, at 1310 Walnut street,every day, and his interest in andattention to the ramifications of his business is as keen and unflaggingas in the days of his youth.Back in 1880 a young and ambitious man of twenty-six came sailing into New York Harbor from Vienna. He had no encumbrances; no great estate to transport; no large, overflowing wardrobe tranks; no valets or household impedimenta. He simply had himself; himself with a college education in his head, and adelighted first reading in English of “Nicholas Nickleby” to his credit.Five days after he arrived in America he journeyed down to the Court House to take out his first citizenship papers. Five years to the day, after that, he went to the Court of Common Pleas, No. 1, Philadelphia, to arrange for his naturalization papers.v For three years before that eventMr. Sessler had been selling books, first in New York City, and then in Philadelphia. His first position was with the George Kelley Publishing House, 13 Barclay Street, New York, publishers of Bibles. For one year Charles Sessler convinced the eligl-bles for Bibles that the firm of George Kelley was the one from which to buy them. Even at that tender age it is hinted that he was a great salesman. Then, at the end of that year, 1881, after several business trips to Philadelphia, he moved to this city, and in an upstairs office room at 1018 Chestnut street he started book-selling on his own. His idea was “sets,” and his capital was exactly forty dollars.Since forty dollars will not permit of much overhead in the book business. even today, Charles Sessler ran a one-man business. He, himself, sold the books; he, himself, delivered them, and he, himself, collected for them.Mr. Sessler, whose home is the lovely “Woodley Oaks” at Woodley lane and Hazelhurst avenue, in Merlon, Pa., where his gracious and beautiful wife assists him in a bounteous hospitality, entered the book business here in 1882, selling standard sets of books that were in demand at that time. He gradually saw the importance of first editions and rare books, and added them to his growing collections of the rare and beautiful. From the year 1900 he has made annual trips to Europe in search of rare books, and he was one of the pioneers in this line. Early in his career Mr. Sessler became deeply interested in the works of Charles Dickens, and decided to specialize in first editionsof Dickens. At one time he devotedan entire room to Dickens—the walls above the book cases were lined with original illustrations and autographs, and the shelves filled with choice, rare editions and presentation copies —most of which are priceless now. Mr Sessler was one of the founders of the Dickens Fellowship in Philadelphia—and is now its Honorary President and the only honorary president of any of its branches.
Newspaper Details
Philadelphia Jewish Exponent
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Fri, Oct 26, 1934
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 11 Dec 2019
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