viii, 195 pp., 4 pp. of De Bure Bros. ads. 8vo, early 20th-cent. green half-morocco & marbled boards (occasional foxing), spine gilt, t.e.g., others uncut. Paris: De Bure frères, 1831.

One of the greatest sales of costume books. La Mésangère (1761-1831), “fondateur et éditeur du Journal des Modes, les propriétaire de cette bibliothèque s’était tout naturellement occupé de réunir un grand nombre d’ouvrages sur les costumes.”–Gustave Brunet, Dictionnaire de Bibliologie Catholique, col. 478.

La Mésangère, also the author of Dictionnaire des Proverbes, had a particular interest in early books of proverbs; they are included... More

48 pp. 8vo (180 x 130 mm.), attractive antique marbled boards. Paris: Delaville & Paillet, 1781.

The auction catalogue of 114 paintings belonging to the Duc de la Vallière (1708-80), one of the greatest bibliophiles of the 18th century. This copy is fully priced, with most buyers’ names added in a contemporary hand. In addition to his fervent book collecting, La Vallière amassed an impressive collection of Italian and Northern school paintings, described here.

The present catalogue details 114 lots of paintings and a lot of two porcelain candle-stands. The paintings include the work of Raphael, Veronese, Tintoretto, Jordaens, Teniers, Rembrandt, Dou, Wouwerman, G.... More

Wood-engraved vignettes on upper & lower wrappers, one large folding lithographed frontis. 8vo (210 x 140 mm.), orig. printed wrappers, stitched as issued. Paris: Coutellier & C. Paillet; London: Wootburn frères [sic.]; Bruxelles: Héris, 1835.

A very scarce catalogue, in original state, of the personal art collection of Lafontaine (1758-1835), who “took care to prepare every new stage in his career without ever allowing himself to be affected by the political or economic changes.”–Blumenfeld, p. 218. Born in Flanders, he trained under the artists Kaplan van Neste and Jean Douelle. After his acceptance into the Académie, Lafontaine exhibited a number of paintings at... More

2 p.l., 60 pp. 8vo (189 x 131 mm.), late 19th-cent. marbled boards, red sheep lettering-piece on spine. Paris: Laneuville, Henry & Bonnefons de la Vialle, 1821.

A scarce sale catalogue of paintings and several drawings, with nearly all prices in a contemporary hand and several marginal notes, along with a curious letter bound-in at the end. The contents of this sale were probably drawn from the stock of Laneuville (1748-1826) and Bon Thomas Henry (1766-1836). One hand, in ink, has recorded all but a few prices, while another, possibly later and in pencil, has noted the provenance of one picture and several occasions when... More

106 pp. 8vo, attractive antique calf-backed paste-paper boards, spine gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. Paris: Le Brun, 1785.

The uncommon sale catalogue of the collection of a famous patron of the arts. Bailli de Breteuil (1725?-85), an influential diplomat who was ambassador to Malta, collected paintings, sculptures, curiosities, and objets d’art. He lived in Rome for about two decades and he owned a magnificent Roman villa decorated by Lavallée-Poussin. Upon returning to Paris in 1787, he frequented Grimod de La Reynière’s salon. Rumors abounded that Bailli was engaged in an affair with Madame Grimod.

The present catalogue fully describes 102 paintings, 42 drawings, 18 prints, and 240 lots of sculpture, precious minerals, porcelains, ceramics, snuffboxes, antiquities, and furniture. Bailli owned works by Del Piombo, Fragonard (No. 49 “The Stolen Kiss” resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art), Velazquez, Dürer, Bourdon, Le Nain, Poussin, etc. Of particular note in this catalogue is a section devoted to table centerpieces (surtout de table), models of ancient monuments including the temples of Minerva, Mercury, two arcs de triomphe, four obelisks, 12 sphinxes, and finally 75 knives made from various materials. All are thoroughly described. More

Finely engraved frontis. with profile of Le Bas (drawn by Cochin & engraved by C.E. Gaucher) & finely engraved tailpiece at the end of the biographical sketch (by same). xlix, 92, 19 pp. catalogue list. 8vo, orig. semi-stiff boards (head of spine a little split), leaves uncut. Paris: Clousier & Joullain, 1783.

The very rare sale catalogue of the engraver to the Cabinet du Roi; with a valuable list of 133 catalogues produced by Joullain since 1763. Le Bas (1707-83), studied under Antoine Hérisset and is famous for his skilled imitations of works by Teniers, Wouwerman, Falens, Coypel, Watteau, Oudry, etc.

This catalogue begins with a lengthy and most informative biographical sketch based on notes by Hecquet, a connoisseur of prints and close friend of Le Bas. It discusses contemporary debates on the artistic merit of engraving and Le Bas’ reputation in the art world, providing an intimate understanding of the man. More

23 pp. 8vo (215 x 140 mm.), late 19th-century marbled boards, brown leather lettering-piece on spine. Paris: Me. Poquereau [sic.] & Joullain, 1778.

A very rare sale catalogue with no copy represented in North American institutional collections. The owner of this collection may have been Nicolas Le Sueur (1691-1764), the son of Pierre Le Sueur II. This catalogue describes 171 lots, mostly consisting of prints executed after famous paintings. The first three lots are “tableaux à gouache.” The prints include the works of Choffard, Woollett, Boullanger, Wille, P. Le Bas, Moreau, Strange, N. Porporati, A. Zingg, J. J. Flipart, etc.

A fine, wide-margined copy of this rare catalogue. Engraved bookplate of the Parisian art dealer Georges Pannier (1853-1944), and stamp of the Bibliothèque Heim on the verso of title. More

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

1 p.l., 114 pp. Small 8vo, attractive modern marbled wrappers. Würzburg: J.S. Richter, 1827.

The very rare auction catalogue — Loh, Vol. 7, p. 219, locates no copy — of the books, prints, and music offered for sale by the Würzburg bookseller and taxation official Louis. He died on 6 January 1828, two weeks before the sale. The sale was postponed, and his wife later held the auction in the autumn.

The catalogue has about 2000 lots, with excellent collections of medicine, surgery, anatomy, physiology, chemistry, pharmacology, botany, natural history, art, and philosophy. More

Two folding engraved facsimiles (one in red & black). xxviii, 583 pp.; 2 p.l., 473 pp. Two vols. 8vo, orig. blue wrappers, printed paper labels on spines, uncut. Paris: De Bure, 1815.

De Ricci described the Mac-Carthy-Reagh library as "extravagantly rich in books printed on vellum" and the Duke of Devonshire was inspired to put in a bid of 20,000 pounds for the collection which in fact brought only some 16,000 pounds when it came up for auction in 1817. The mysterious Mac-Carthy-Reagh had been a collector on a grand scale, purchasing Girardot de Préfond's collection en bloc in 1769 and leaving a library... More

1 p.l., 109 pp. Small 8vo, attractive modern marbled wrappers. Berlin: 1815.

The very rare sale catalogue — Loh, Vol. 6, p. 102, locates no copy — of the fine scientific library of Meyer (1739-1811), owner of the Hof-Apotheke in Stettin. He studied chemistry in Berlin under J.H. Pott and A.S. Marggraf, and in 1764 he went to Uppsala University, where he studied botany with Linnaeus and possibly chemistry with J.G. Wallerius. In 1780 Meyer founded a distillery in Stettin to produce French-style brandy and liqueurs according to a process that he had developed in his apothecary shop.

This library of 2227 lots was an important collection of botanical, chemical, medical, and pharmaceutical texts, including all the works of “the chemical revolution.” More

2 p.l., viii, 16 pp. 8vo (203 x 133 mm.), attractive antique marbled boards. Paris: Denailly & Regnault De Lalande, 1810.

An uncommon sale catalogue that describes the collection of Moitte (1746-1810), a noted sculptor who won the 1768 Prix de Rome. Agréé by the Académie Royale in 1783, Moitte regularly exhibited at the Salons. His lone royal commission was for a statue of Gian Domenico Cassini, which is at the Observatoire de Paris. “Though still not very well known, he was one of France’s most committed and talented exponents of Neo-classical sculpture”–Oxford Art Online.

The present catalogue begins with an informative biographical sketch of the sculptor. The 64 lots include paintings (by Bourdon, David, Giorgione, N. Poussin, H. Robert, Solimena, Suvée, C. Vanloo, Vien, etc.), drawings (by David, Guercino, E. Le Sueur, Michelangelo, Norblin, Poussin, and Robert), and sculptures (by Moitte, Roland, and Giambologna). Lots 59-63 consist of Moitte’s sculpting tools and furniture from his studio. More