Catalogue des Livres rares et singuliers et des Registres manuscrits du Parlement; dont la vente se fera…le Mardi 27 Mars 1781 & les jours suivans…
4, 99 pp. 8vo, cont. red morocco-backed blue paste-paper boards, flat spine gilt. Paris: Gogué & Née de la Rochelle, 1781.
A rare and noteworthy catalogue, containing many book s from the celebrated library of Claude Gabriel de Boze (1680-1753). While de Boze’s library was being prepared for sale after his death in 1753, two distinguished bibliophiles — Jules François Cotte, Président au Parlement de Paris, and Charles Robert Boutin, Maître des Requêtes, purchased the entire library for the sum of 83,000 livres. They, in turn, sold most of the 15th-century books, except for the Gutenberg Bible, to Gaignat. Cotte and Boutin then divided up amongst themselves the books they wished to keep, and sold the remainder by auction through Gabriel Martin in 1754. Boutin (b. 1722) went on to have a distinguished career in government and finance, serving in a number of important and lucrative positions.
This library contains 792 lots of books, seven lots of “Registres du Parlement” in 192 manuscript volumes, and a fascinating series of seven lots of early books printed in China. A number of the books are identified as coming from the Boze library. Boutin’s library was a fine one, with many books richly bound, the great early Aldines, other early printed books, and many English literary sets.
Priced throughout in a contemporary hand. From the library of Jean Viardot.
❧ Blogie, col. 15.
Price: $3,750.00
Item ID: 3353
