Guille and Allès spent decades in New York buying rare and valuable books, and continued doing so in the years after the Library opened.
Allès in particular was single-minded in his pursuit of the volumes he wanted. He would frequently make special journeys to London and Paris, often at short notice, to attend auctions.
"Such journeys," wrote the Library's Curator John Linwood Pitts, "instead of appearing irksome to Mr Allès, have always been regarded by him as veritable labours of love. Indeed, the most enthusiastic sportsman could not take a keener interest in tracking and bagging some long-coveted quarry, than does Mr Allès in unearthing these literary or artistic treasures."
