VMs: Zeitschrift für Bücherfreunde

["Rafal T. Prinke" <rafalp@xxxxxxxxxx>]

In John Reed's VMS bibliography there is the following entry:

     127. Von Schleinitz, Otto. ``Die Bibliophilen W. M. Voynich.''
     Zeitschrift fur Bucherfreunde, 10 (1906/7) pp.481-7. 
     [Not seen. Contains information about Voynich's life.]

I found the Zeitschrift in my University Library and had
a look at the article. Most of it describes his unique
collection of books, with many pre 1500 items, mostly
first editions and many items unknown to bibliographers or
librarians. It was exhibited by him at Soho Square No. 1, 

London (his bookshop?).

The only paragraph about his life reads:

  Mr. Voynich (Abb. 1), der seinen Namen Woynicz anglisierte, 
  wurde 1863 in Polen geboren, studierte auf den Universitäten
  von Warschau und Petersburg und mußte es über sich ergehen 
  lassen, 1885 als polnisch verdächtig ohne Untersuchung und ohne 

  gerichtliche Verhandlung nach Ostsibirien verbannt zu worden. 
  Nach fünfjährigem unfreiwilligen Aufenthalt gelang es 
  ihm 1890 von dort nach England zu entfliehen. Seine Gattin, 
  die sich einen Ruf als Schriftstellerin durch die Romane 
  "The Gadfly" unf "Jack Raymond" erworben hat, ist die Tochter
  des Dr. George Boole.

The Abbildung 1. is an oval photograph of Voynich (p. 482),
black hair, small beard and glasses.

At the end of the article there is something about giving some
of those books to the British Museum library with financial 
help of Walter Rotschild and Lord Strathcona (but I don't
quite understand the details).

The thing that looks suspicious to me is that a refugee
after 5 years in Siberia could accumulate such a priceless
collection in such a short time and in a foreign country.
He married Ethel Boole in 1891 so probably could start
the bookdealing business with her (her father's) money
- but was that enough?

I think we need more information about his life - which seems
to be as much a mystery as the VMS.

Best regards,

Rafal