Bibliotheca Meermanniana; sive Catalogus librorum impressorum et Codicum manuscriptorum…quorum publica fiet auctio die VIII sqq. Junii, anni MDCCCXXIV Hagae Comitum in Aedibus defuncti…
Five vols. bound in three. 8vo, orig. blue boards, nicely rebacked in sympathetic white paper, printed labels on spines, uncut. The Hague: S. & J. Luchtmans et al., 1824.
A fine uncut set in the original boards of the sale catalogue of the Meerman collection, “one of the most famous private libraries in Europe.”–Munby, Phillipps Studies, Vol. III, p. 26. The library was founded by Gerard Meerman (1722-71), a prominent jurist and the author of Origines Typographicae in which he proclaimed Laurent Coster the inventor of printing. Gerard’s greatest coup was to acquire the entire manuscript collection of the Collège de Clermont, once the property of the Jesuits in Paris. The library was continued by his son Johan (1753-1815), also a jurist of note, and a founder of the Royal Library at The Hague.
These sale catalogues describe about 10,000 books and 1100 MSS. Sir Thomas Phillipps, through the London bookseller Rodd, acquired more than 650 of the manuscripts. The sale realized more than 131,000 guilders.
Fine set.
❧ De Ricci, p. 120. Gustave Brunet, Dictionnaire de Bibliologie Catholique, col. 596–“Belle collection, riche en livres rares et en ouvrages des premiers temps de l’imprimerie. Les trois premiers volumes contiennent les imprimés, le 4e les manuscrits, le 5e donne les prix. Les anglais firent de forts achats à cette vente.”.
Price: $2,750.00
Item ID: 2574
