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... More

63 pp. 8vo, attractive modern marbled boards, paper lettering-piece on spine. Paris: Remy & Delalande, 1789.

A very rare catalogue describing a vast collection of mostly prints and albums of prints. The 328 lots, many of which consist of more than a dozen items, include the work of Ammon, Visscher, Bourdon, Audran, Poilly, G. Edelinck, Dürer, Bloemart, Goltzius, Bosse, Callot, Lebas, Choffard, etc. The prints are generally after pieces by famous artists such as Rubens, Hollar, Raphael, Rembrandt, and the Sadelers. Many of the recueils, which are well-described, contain original prints by the artist and, when factoring in copies, number... More

2 p.l., 66, [1] pp. Small 8vo (180 x 105 mm.), late 19th-century cloth-backed marbled boards, spine gilt. Paris: P. Remy & Musier, 1773.

[bound after]:

([BENARD, —]). Catalogue des Bronzes, Marbres, Porcelaines, Meubles, & autres objets de curiosité. Provenant du Cabinet de M.*** Dont la Vente se fera…le Jeudi 26 Mai 1774, & jour suivans… 9 pp. Small 8vo. Paris: Chariot, 1774.

I. The very rare auction catalogue of Morand’s important cabinet of anatomical curiosities, natural history specimens, art, and antiquities (see below). Morand (1697-1773), the esteemed surgeon and contributor to the Encylopédie, possessed an eclectic collection, but focused principally... More

5 p.l., 219, [1] pp. 8vo, cont. boards, black leather lettering piece on spine. Paris: Silvestre, 1824.

An important sale. "Ce catalogue renferme une réunion très-nombreuse de livres imprimés par les Elzeviers; il en est de très-rares et qui étaient jusqu'alors restés inconnus aux bibliographes."­Brunet, Dictionnaire de Bibliologie Catholique, col. 498. A large number of Motteley's books come from the libraries of de Thou and the Comte d'Hoym.

We learn from the same source that Motteley (d. 1850), lived as a hermit, alone and isolated in a rundown apartment. He was afraid to make home repairs because of his fear of... More

24 pp. 8vo (199 x 125 mm.), late 19th-cent. aubergine calf-backed marbled boards (spine a little rubbed), spine gilt. [Paris]: Charriot & Paillet, 1821.

A rare auction catalogue of paintings, drawings, prints, and miscellaneous curiosities; we locate no copy in North America. The Avertissement explains that the owner of the present collection purchased most of these items in the course of his travels and a number of drawings and studies were acquired directly from a “Mr. Deboissieu” (noted on the title-page), presumably the artist Jean Jacques de Boissieu (1736-1810). Paillet, this sale’s expert, also underscores that this collector purchased many... More

xii, [3], 250 pp.; 8 pp. Two vols. 8vo, attractive antique mottled half-calf & grey boards, spines gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spines. Paris: Veuve Tilliard et Fils, n.d. [sale: 20 Feb. 1800].

Very rare. “Ce catalogue renferme des articles précieux. M. André-Claude Patu de Mello, ancien payeur des rentes de l’hôtel-de-ville de Paris, né en 1726, est mort en 1799…M. Patu de Mello…possédoit un très beau cabinet de machines de physique et d’astronomie.”–Peignot, p. 117.

Patu de Mello had strong scientific interests and the catalogue of his library lists 1957 lots, which for the largest part consisted of... More

1 p.l., ii, 34 pp. 8vo (213 x 136 mm.), late 19th-cent. marbled boards, leather lettering-piece on spine. Paris: Lacoste & Pérignon, 1817.

A very scarce sale catalogue dispersing paintings, drawings, and curiosities from the collection and inventory of Pérignon (1785-1864), the dealer, collector, and advisor to the Louvre. Pérignon was one of the eminent dealers to succeed Lebrun and Paillet after their deaths. The first recorded sale for which he was the expert took place in December 1813 (Lugt 8456). He went on to administer the important auctions of Hubert Robert’s widow, Girodet, Dominique-Vivant Denon, and two for Jacques... More

47 pp. 8vo (200 x 131 mm.), orig. green printed wrappers preserved in green morocco-backed marbled boards, spine gilt, marbled endpapers. Paris: C. Paillet & Chariot, [1815].

A very scarce sale catalogue. Perrier (d. 1814) was an art dealer who primarily sold modern pictures. He is praised in the Avertissement as a steadfast supporter of a number of contemporary artists. This auction was held at his home on rue des Deux-Ecus, no. 33 (now rue Berger). The present catalogue very probably lists his personal collection and remaining inventory at the time of his death. It describes 184 lots of paintings... More

xxviii, 538 pp. 8vo, early 19th-cent. half-calf & patterned cloth sides, flat spine gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. London: [Robson, Clarke, & Edwards, 1789].

In 1788, the London booksellers James Edwards (1757-1816), and James Robson (1733-1806), bought in Venice for 6000 pounds the celebrated Pinelli library of which the excellent inventory catalogue by the custodian of the Bibliotheca Marciana, Jacopo Morelli, had appeared the previous year. They put it up for sale by means of the above catalogue, a shortened translation and adaptation of Morelli’s, by Samuel Paterson (1728-1802), another London bookseller and auctioneer. Although it was not... More

Engraved vignette of the collector’s bookplate on half-title. 2 p.l., [4] (schedule of sale), vii, 414, 4 pp. 8vo, cont. cloth-backed marbled boards. Paris: 1838.

Pixerécourt (1773-1844), the author of more than a hundred plays, “the Shakespeare and Corneille of the Boulevards,” was one of the founders of the Société des Bibliophiles français. The sale of his library was a major event in the annals of French bibliophily. The catalogue features wonderfully detailed and original literary and bibliographical notes by Charles Nodier and Paul Lacroix, the latter having taking down some of Pixerécourt’s own dictations.

The catalogue has 2313 lots... More

1 p.l., iv, 6, 188, 28 pp. Small 8vo, cont. calf (joints & corners neatly repaired), spine gilt, contrasting morocco lettering piece on spine, stamp in gilt at foot of spine “Brunck” (see below). Paris: De Bure, fils ainé, 1777.

[bound with]:

(—). Catalogue des Tableaux & Desseins précieux des Maîtres célebres des trois Ecoles, Figures de marbres, de bronze & de terre cuite, Estampes en feuilles… Par Pierre Remy. On a joint à ce Catalogue celui des Vases, Colonnes de marbres, Porcelaines, des Laques, des Meubles de Boule & d’autres effets précieux, par C.F. Julliot. La Vente se fera le... More

23 pp. 8vo (210 x 135 mm.), partially stitched (edge of title-page expertly repaired), uncut. Paris: Félix & Pérignon, 1825.

The rare auction catalogue of Regnault-Delalande (1762-1824), one of the most prodigious Parisian dealers in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Regnault presided over a number of famous sales from the period, foremost among them those of the expert Basan, Count Potocki, Rigal, and the influential critic Saint-Yves. The introduction claims that Regnault-Delalande produced more than 300 sale catalogues (the Getty Provenance Index records approximately 222). This memorial concludes (in trans.): “This historian of Engraving…practiced as a connoisseur of... More