17 characters per column; 24 columns per sheet. Each sheet: ca. 450 mm. long. Text-block height: 207 mm. Eight scrolls (297 x 10,785; 12,480; 11,600; 10,430; 11,190; 10,190; 10,130; 9000 mm.), all with front endpapers speckled on inside with square-cut gold, silver, & copper foil, outer endpapers dyed reddish-orange & with clouds of gold, silver, & copper mottling. Seven of the eight scrolls have on the outside of the front endpaper an orig. label stating “Myohorengekyo” [“Glory to the Dharma of the Lotus Sutra”], and its volume number. All with wooden rollers. [Japan: late Muromachi to early Edo].

A handsomely... More

Black & white illus. throughout. 103 pp. 4to, pictorial wrappers with flaps. Düsseldorf: [ca. 1992].

Scarce bookseller catalogue with a fine selection of post-war art books, catalogues, and multiples; scarce. 748 listings total. Near fine; minor wear to the spine. More

73; 60 folding leaves (pagination in Vol. II continued from Vol. I). Two vols. 8vo, orig. wrappers (wrappers rather worn), orig. block-printed title labels on upper covers (frayed), new stitching. Kyoto: Hayashi Kuhei & Takemura Shinbei, 1699.

First edition of this valuable bibliography of Chinese encyclopedias or lei-shu (classified books); this is an important guide to the corpus of lei-shu.

The term “encyclopedia” is not used in the Western sense. Lei-shu “is the name given a genre of collectanea of literary and non-literary materials compiled in pre-modern Chinese history. Commonly translated ‘encyclopedia,’ lei-shu is more accurately rendered ‘classified book,’ from... More

Woodcut vignette on title. 167 (i.e. 157), [15] pp. 8vo, fine red morocco of about 1760, triple gilt fillets round sides, tiny gilt stars at each corner, flat spine richly gilt “á la grotesque,” green morocco lettering piece on spine, blue paper endpapers, a.e.g. Paris: F. Leonard, 1666.

First edition of the catalogue of the first of two print collections formed by Marolles (1600-81), abbot of Villeloin and man of letters. He began acquiring prints in 1626 and by 1644, his collecting activities governed his life. At that time there was little competition, and Marolles bought several important collections en... More

2 p.l., iv, lxxxviii, 20, 318 pp.; 2 p.l., 319-808 pp. Two vols. 8vo, cont. calf-backed marbled boards (some foxing as is usual to first & final leaves), flat spines gilt. Brussels: P.J. de Mat, 1823.

The bookseller Mat’s catalogue of a fine anonymous private collection, compiled and edited by Gaudefroy (1758-1839), the French bibliographer. There are 6918 items described including a goodly number of important 15th and 16th century books. The sections on science, medicine, and natural history are outstanding. The final lot is extremely enticing: “6918 Collection de 255 Catalogues de bibliothéques, ou Notices de vente de livres... More

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... More

2 p.l., 164, 5 pp. 12mo, cont. polished calf by Derome, triple gilt fillet round sides with floral devices in each corner, flat spine gilt in a fish-scale pattern, black morocco lettering piece on spine, a.e.g. Paris: de l’Imprimerie de Didot l’Ainé, 1783.

Limited to 25 copies only, finely printed by Didot on Annonay paper and handsomely bound in contemporary polished calf by Derome; this is one of the rarest and oddest of all private library catalogues. It is also notable as the first bibliography or catalogue with a limitation statement and, very probably, the first catalogue to mention binders’... More

By Wendell E. Wilson. Plates in color & many facsimiles in the text. 264 pp. Large 4to, orig. cloth over boards. Tucson: The Mineralogical Record, 1994.

First edition, hard-bound issue, of this extremely important and useful history of mineral collecting. This is the best book on the subject. Well indexed.

Out-of-print. More

Many illus. 48 pp. Small 4to, yellow pictorial wrappers, staple-bound. Paris: Bibliothèque nationale de France, 1997.

Exhibition booklet produced for the seminal exhibition of artists’ books curated by Anne Moeglin-Delcroix at the Bibliothèque nationale, held 29 May-12 October 1997.

A fine copy.

❧ A. Desjardin, The Book on Books on Artists Books (2nd ed.: 2013) 91. More

Some black & white illus. 588 pp. 4to, pictorial softcover. Marseille: Le mot et le reste, 2006.

An essential reference work; the scarce collection of Anne Moeglin-Delcroix’s writings on artist’s books, some previously unpublished and many re-edited. While this is indeed a valuable book, this title is an unfortunate victim of “book-jackers” on listing sites, where the price has been inflated to ca. $500 (even $1195 as of 26 January 2023).

In excellent condition.

❧ A. Desjardin, The Book on Books on Artists Books (2nd ed.: 2013) 197. More

Black & white illus. on rectos. [104] pp. & colophon. Small 4to, printed softcover, title on spine. Paris: Florence Loewy, 2021.

Signed copy, a brilliantly designed bibliography of Jonathan Monk’s books and catalogues, WorldCat finds no example in North American libraries. This catalogue was published for an exhibition of the same name (1 February-14 March 2020) held at Loewy’s gallery. The illustrations are printed on the rectos and the text on versos, but the text cleverly bleeds through the thin paper used.

As new, signed by Monk (b. 1969) on the back cover. Edition of 500 copies. Designed by Théophile Calot. More

Full-bleed black & white illus. throughout. Eight unnumbered leaves. Small 8vo, pictorial wrappers, staple-bound. [Baden, Switzerland]: Kodoji Press, 2017.

A series of photographs focused on the imprints of artists’ books and exhibition catalogues published in New York. A number of the publications are instantly recognizable. It includes books published by Multiples, Inc. (Marian Goodman), Rizzoli, Sperone, Taschen, Skarstedt Gallery, Assouline, Siegelaub and J. Wendler, 38th Street Publishers, etc. The books are by LeWitt, Siegelaub, Tuttle, Prince, Graham, Wool, Judd, S. Levine, Koons, Lawler, Warhol, Halley, etc. A list of the artists featured is found on the inside of the lower... More