Seven engraved plates (several folding). viii, 177 pp. Large 4to, early 19th-cent. half-calf & marbled boards (some scuffing), flat spine gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. London: Printed by W. Bulmer for G. Nicol et al., 1795.

First edition of the Board of Agriculture’s famous report on the potato. During the final four decades of the 18th century Britain experienced a number of corn harvest failures with a resulting rise in the price of wheat. The Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, the Board of Agriculture, and various private individuals advocated the adoption of the potato as a substitute... More about Report of the Committee of the Board of Agriculture, appointed to extract Information from the...

viii, 268 pp. 8vo, early 19th-cent. marbled boards (spine defective). Amsterdam: P. Yver, [1785].

The extremely rare French edition (there was an edition in Dutch the same year) of this catalogue of an impressive sale. A contemporary annotator has supplemented it with prices, buyers’ names, and commentary on the artworks, almost all dismissive, in the margins. Van Slingelandt (1701-82), a great patron of the arts who lived in Dordrecht, amassed one of the most notable Dutch painting collections of the 18th century. This heavily annotated volume is the first and most important part of the sale, describing 701(!) paintings along with eight... More about Catalogue d’un très beau & très riche Cabinet de Tableaux, de Desseins et d’Estampes,...

36 pp. 8vo, attractive antique marbled boards, paper label on spine. Paris: Olivier & Lebrun, 1811.

The uncommon sale catalogue, fully priced and with nearly all buyers’ names in a contemporary hand, of the art collection a celebrated portraitist and former pupil of Jacques Louis David. Laneuville (1748-1826), foremost a painter who exhibited at a number of Salons, also worked as an art dealer and expert. His painting style imitated considerably that of his master, and his subjects were often politicians. He maneuvered deftly during the Revolution and secured the patronage of leading revolutionaries, including several deputies of the Convention. Laneuville’s luck persisted... More about Catalogue d’une Collection de Tableaux des Trois Ecoles, Marbres, Bronzes, Ivoires, et Autres...

71 pp. 8vo, 19th-cent. paste-paper boards (corners a little worn), blue morocco lettering-piece on spine. Paris: Paillet & Hugues, 1786.

A rare sale catalogue, with most prices and buyers’ names written in a contemporary hand. Aubert (1736-85), jeweler to the Crown and a favorite of Marie Antoinette, as well as the Comtesse du Barry before, blended his craft with occasional forays into art dealing; however, his avid collecting took precedence. In the preface, Paillet (1743-1814), the expert for this sale, praises Aubert’s taste for Dutch and French pictures along with his impressive natural history cabinet.

This catalogue describes 293 lots: 79 lots of paintings (by Panini, J. Breughel, Rubens, van Dyck, Jordaens, Teniers, Wouwerman, Rembrandt, Metsu, Berghem, Netscher, van Ostade, A. Brouwer, P. Potter, Bourdon, Largillière, F. Boucher, Chardin, Greuze, Fragonard, Anne Valayer-Coster, etc.); 28 lots of drawings (by Bouchardon, Watteau, Lagrenée, etc.); 26 enamel miniatures; 38 lots of prints; 22 lots of sculptures; 38 lots from Aubert’s natural history cabinet; and 46 miscellaneous lots including vases with artificial flowers, bird-cages, rubies, cases of butterflies, etc. More about Catalogue des Tableaux précieux, Dessins, Gouaches, Estampes, Portraits en émail, par Petitot...

A most attractive picture scroll, containing a series of finely drawn studies, almost all finished, of various flowers, plants, and tree branches. The only evidence of the name of the accomplished artist, who has exhibited here a fine technique, is illegible.

At the beginning of the scroll, there is a mounted sheet of paper where it is written that the subjects include flowers and vegetables. The first illustrations depict a series of pine branches with short and then long pine needles, followed by a dramatic rendering of the paperplant (this has been illegibly signed by the artist). Next, we have... More about A finely executed picture scroll, measuring 374 x 14,900 mm., on mica paper, backed, ink &...

Numerous full-page woodcut illus. in the text. Five parts in three vols. 8vo, orig. blue wrappers (rubbed), orig. block-printed title labels on upper covers (labels a little defective), new stitching. N.p.: Preface dated 1829, [published 1830].

First edition. Ozeki (1781-1845), a fiefdom lord of Kurobanehan in today’s Tochigi Prefecture, was particularly interested in technology and science. He was active as an innovator in developing the agricultural and industrial activities of his region. After his retirement, he moved to Edo and wrote a series of books on technological and agricultural subjects.

This is Ozeki’s invaluable survey of sericulture and hand weaving techniques used throughout Japan before the modernization of the textile industry in the late 19th century. He describes in great detail all the stages of sericulture, the different kinds of looms used in various areas of the country, the production of linen and cotton fabrics, dyeing methods, how to produce different types of silk fabrics including luxury fabrics, etc. More about Kishoku ihen (or Hataori ihen) [trans.: Manual of Textile Technology during the Edo Period

Many fine woodcuts printed in color & many with blind-embossing. Five vols. 8vo, orig. patterned mica-speckled wrappers (some worming carefully repaired), orig. block-printed title labels on upper covers (all the labels a little wormed), new stitching. Osaka: Uozaki Motosaburo [& four others] & Kyoto: Nishimura Kichibei, 1813.

First edition, fine and thick-paper copy with special refined coloring and blind embossing of many of the woodcuts, of this important anatomical work which collects the records of three dissections performed in Kyoto in 1783, 1798, and 1802. The author explains them based on theories of both traditional Chinese medicine as well as Western medicine.

“A Japanese treatise on anatomy and anatomical dissection in five volumes was published in 1813 by Shoshui or Boku or Koki Mitani (1774-1823) with the title Kaitai hatsumo. This was not the first original Japanese work on dissection, since priority in that respect had been established by the appearance in 1759 of the Zo-shi of Toyo Yamawaki. But that earlier work was short and its illustrative material limited to a few crude drawings of the viscera. Kaitai hatsumo appears, however, to be the first Japanese exposition on the whole system of human anatomy, based upon original observation (including dissection) and knowledge of other anatomical works. An inserted advertisement for this book [not present in this and many other copies] is translated to read as follows: ‘This book is Kaitai hatsumo, on some new Dutch theories and moreover some dissections of a real dead body to make it sure. And it has become clear that the Dutch theories are right and the traditional Japanese and Chinese theories which [have been] with us for 3000 years [are] quite wrong.’ (Somehow one gets here the impression of a persistent reluctance to relinquish the traditional anatomical beliefs in favor of the European knowledge which had come into Japan. After all, the gross inaccuracies of the traditional teachings had been firmly established by the work of Gempaku Sugita and his friends in the previous century)… More about Kaitai hatsumo [trans: Explanation of Human Anatomy

viii, 120 pp. 4to, cont. pale blue paper wrappers (spine defective). Vienna: La Société Typographique, 1790.

The uncommon sale catalogue of the collections formed by the founder of the famous Viennese music publisher. Originally from Lucca, Mechetti (c. 1745-1811), encountered financial troubles and was forced to sell his collection of thousands of items, primarily Italian prints and paintings. In the introduction, Mechetti highlights certain pieces in his collection, which was apparently not for sale by auction but rather private contract. Pages 113-20 describe a large library rich in books on the arts and history.

Nice copy. This copy was inscribed on the inside front wrappers to the amateur geologist Baron de Beroldingen (see Zittel). From the library of His Serene Highness Prince Fürstenberg at Donaueschingen with his stamp on title. More about Catalogue des Estampes des plus grands maitres, Tableaux, Bagues, Livres, Vases, Idoles, &c....

1 p.l., ii, 119 pp. 8vo, cont. semi-stiff paper wrappers (spine a little split), uncut. Ghent: F. Verhulst, [1843].

The very rare sale catalogue of the impressive coin, shell, and mineral collections formed by d’Hane de Steenhuyse (1757-1826), Dutch nobleman and politician in Ghent. His family lived in the luxurious Hotel d’Hane-Steenhuyse, which still stands, and hosted figures such as Talleyrand, Tsar Alexander I, Louis XVIII, Chateaubriand, as well as John Quincy Adams.

This catalogue describes nearly 3500 lots. It includes a wide-ranging array of coins from ancient Greece and Rome, countries across Europe, Turkey, Morocco, India, Guadeloupe, the United... More about Catalogue d’une très-belle, riche et nombreuse collection de Médailles romaines, modernes de...

Many black & white text illus. 111, [16] pp. of order forms & ads. 8vo, green semi-stiff pictorial wrappers. New York: Printed Matter, 1997.

The Printed Matter catalogue for 1997 and 1998, which begins with an introduction by the new director, David Platzker. He announces the inauguration of a membership program and the launch of a Printed Matter website. Following a listing of fundraising editions, Printed Matter has reproduced statements on artists’ books first published in Art-Rite no. 14 (1976/77), which was dedicated entirely to the theme of artists’ books. It includes the words of John Baldessari, Ulises Carrion, Lucy Lippard, Sol LeWitt, etc. This... More about From upper cover]: Books by Artists 1997/1998

Many illus. in the text, some full-page, & on inside covers. 2 p.l., 80 pp. & order forms. 8vo (215 x 140 mm), printed pictorial wrappers, staple-bound. [New York: Printed Matter: 1991].

A catalogue issued in Printed Matter’s 15th year. It begins with an Introduction by director John Goodwin who writes: “Printed Matter Bookstore at Dia is in its fifteenth year of distributing books by artists to an ever-widening audience that includes students, collectors, educators, librarians, and, of course, other artists. We are delighted to observe that what the founders of Printed Matter dared to assert has indeed come true: the field of artists’ books is... More about Spring 1991, Catalog

35 pp. 8vo, modern wrappers. Berlin: G. Reimer, 1834.

First separate edition, an offprint with new pagination from von Gräfe and von Walther’s Journal für Chirurgie und Augenheilkunde (Vol. XXI). Heidenreich (1798-1857), a doctor at Ansbach, was the presiding physician during the autopsy of Kaspar Hauser following his mysterious death in December of 1833.

In this work, Heidenreich provides a description of Hauser’s wounds, his final days, and the autopsy itself. More about “Kaspar Hauser’s Verwundung, Krankheit und Leichenöffnung.” By Dr. Friedrich Wilhelm...