Woodcut vignette on title. 1 p.l., 374 pp.; 286 pp. Two parts in one vol. Thick 12mo, cont. speckled calf (well-rebacked with the orig. spine laid-down), spine nicely gilt. Leyden: J. de Vivie, 1682.

First edition, Pollard's issue iii. “The sale catalogue of the polymath library of Nicolaus Heinsius, eminent Dutch classical scholar, Neo-Latin poet, and diplomatist, containing over 13,000 lots. It was immediately recognized as having more than ephemeral value, and was reissued as a reference work, with a new, undated title-page in red and black (verso blank), on which all mention of the sale was omitted, an added preface (‘Typographus Lectori... More

1 p.l., 240 pp.; 1 p.l., 200 pp.; 1 p.l., 288 pp. Three vols. in one. 8vo, orig. paste-paper wrappers (spine worn, upper wrapper nearly detached), uncut. The Hague: A. de Hondt, 1720.

The rare sale catalogue of the famous library of Georg Wilhelm, Freiherr von Hohendorf (d. 1719), Austrian general, Adjutant-General of Prince Eugene of Savoy, and his rival as a book collector. Hohendorf’s library contained a splendid series of early printed books, 16 Grolier bindings, a very complete collection of books from the Aldine Press, and a rich collection of MSS.

“Although this library of 6787 printed books and 252 manuscripts does not rank with the largest collections of the eighteenth century, the choice of books and the organization of the catalogue make it important.”–Taylor, Book Catalogues, p. 246. Hohendorf’s catalogue is the first to segregate Aldine imprints into a category of their own. More

xx (i.e. xxiv), [2], 448, 59 pp. 8vo, cont. mottled calf, spine nicely gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. Paris: Pissot & Gogue, 1763.

An important sale catalogue of the library of the Maison Professe des Jesuites of Paris, founded in 1580. This library was comprised of many donations, the most notable being that of Pierre Daniel Huet (1630-1721), bishop of Avranches and scholar. Huet, whose scholarship was very well-known, made considerable scientific researches as well as classical studies; he edited the famous Delphin series of the Latin classics in about sixty volumes. Huet formed a great library of books and MSS. which... More

Finely engraved frontis. xx, 316 pp. Small 8vo, cont. mottled calf (expertly rebacked), spine gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. Paris: Vente, 1767.

[bound with as usual]:

(—). Catalogue raisonné de Porcelaines, tant anciennes, premiere forte, qu’ancien Japon & la Chine: d’Effets précieux d’anciens Lacqs, riches Meubles de Boule, & Bijoux, faisant partie du Cabinet de feu… Par C.F, Julliot, Marchand… 80 pp., one leaf of approbation. [Paris: Didot, 1767]. More

xii, 396 pp. 8vo, cont. mottled calf, spine gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. Paris: G. Martin, 1754.

A rare sale catalogue of the library of a Fermier général. According to the Preface by Gabriel Martin, La Haye (1684-1753) was a son of one of the Sécretaires du Roi; he became a Fermier General in 1718 and served in this capacity until his death in 1753 at the age of sixty-nine. He was extremely successful and acquired the Hôtel Lambert from the Marquis du Châtelet in 1745 and lived there in great luxury with a large staff. He formed one of... More

2 p.l., xix, 334 pp., one leaf of ads. 8vo, cont. green sheep-backed boards, flat spine decorated in gilt & blind. Paris: Crapelet, 1816.

The very rare auction catalogue of the library of La Porte du Theil (1742-1815), French Hellenist and conservator of manuscripts at the Royal Library; he played a role in the early attempts to decipher the Rosetta Stone. The collection was particularly rich in rare Italian books along with a fine collection of bibliography (lots 3248-3326). The preliminary leaves contain a valuable bio-bibliography of the collector by Silvestre de Sacy.

Very good copy and priced throughout in a contemporary hand. 3486 lots. More

liv, [2], 618 pp.; 2 p.l., 400 pp. Two vols. in one. Thick 4to, cont. speckled boards, excellently rebacked in antique calf, gilt, reusing the two red morocco lettering pieces on spine. Paris: G.F. de Bure, 1767.

A very rare large paper copy of the extremely uncommon auction catalogue of the first of three sales of duplicates from the library of the duc de la Vallière, who formed by the time of his death in 1780 the most important collection of books of the 18th century. La Vallière, born rich and richer still through several inheritances, began buying in a serious way at... More

Woodcut arms of Le Blanc on title. xvi, 310 pp. (lacking the 19-leaf index). 8vo, cont. calf (headcap a bit defective), spine richly gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. Paris: G. Martin, 1729.

The very rare sale catalogue of the library of Le Blanc (1669-1728), who held many positions in the defense ministry of France, finally serving from 1726 until his death as chief defense minister. As befitting an “homme d’état, ” this was a library rich in French history, histories of other countries, and biographies. 3328 lots; the final 130 lots are MSS., mostly historical and legal. As is often... 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. Large 8vo, cont. red straight-grained half morocco & glazed red paper boards bound in Vienna for Archduke Karl (“Carl Ludwig”), flat spines gold-tooled & lettered in compartments, the Archduke’s initials “CL” in top compartment. Paris: De Bure, 1815.

[bound with]:(—).

Catalogue des Livres rares et précieux…provenant de la Vente de feu M. le Comte de Mac-Carthy-Reagh à vendre aux prix marqués à chaque Article. [iii]-vi, 57, [1] pp. 8vo. Paris: De Bure frères, 1817. More

Finely engraved frontis. 10 p.l. (incl. frontis.), 192, 250, 284 pp. Three parts in one vol. 8vo, cont. sheep (upper joint a little cracked but strong, minor wear & rubbing to binding), spine gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. The Hague: A. de Hondt, 1712.

Rare. While N.U.C. puts this under Henricus Hadrianus van der Marck, B.M.C. has it under Joannes à Marck, a professor of theology and Blogie attributes the catalogue to Thomas Nicolaas van der Marck. See Taylor, Book Catalogues, p. 252 for a discussion.

This was an important and large library and the sale catalogue contains 8439 lots, including... More