Black & white illus. (some full-page). 47 pp. Large 4to (277 x 205 mm.), pictorial wrappers, staple-bound. [Toronto: 1977].

A rare and early catalogue issued by Art Metropole, the first large-scale distributors of artists’ books and publications in North America. This catalogue offers dozens of works by European artists such as Abramovic, Beuys, Boltanski, Broodthaers, Buren, Darboven, Dibbets, Ehrenberg, Filliou, Fulton, Graham, Rebecca Horn, Hansjörg Mayer, Merz, Nannucci, Polke, Maria Reiche, Rot, Schwitters, Spoerri, Lea Vergine, Vostell, etc. Publications from Art Metropole, periodicals, records, and videos are also listed for sale, with prices. The graphic cover art comes from Rudolf Schwarzkogler’s Portfolio of the 3rd... More

8 pp. 8vo (199 x 125 mm.), modern aubergine cloth, title on upper cover. Paris: Bezançon & Regnault-Delalande, 1813.

A scarce auction catalogue offering the contents of a bankrupt dealership, owned by “Blankenstein.” A chapter in a 1994 text on Franco-German relations during the French Revolution (cited below) mentions an Alexandre Guillaume Blankenstein, a converted Jew from Frankfurt, originally named Aron Levi Wetzlar, who opened a luxurious bookstore on the quai Malaquais around 1810, which then went under three years later. We know of two suites of prints published by Blankenstein. The title-page of this catalogue mentions that a judge has ordered this bankruptcy sale.

44 lots of paintings, drawings, prints, and engraved plates. Lot 35 consists of the 149 (of 179) original engraved plates used to print the famous suite known as the Cabinet Crozat (the Mariette edition of 1729-42). More

Engraved frontis. port., one folding engraved plate, & four engraved facsimiles (three folding). Three vols. 8vo, cont. vellum over boards, spines gilt. Paris: G. De Bure, 1783.

An attractive set of the celebrated catalogue of the first part of the most important book and manuscript collection of the 18th century. The catalogue, prepared by De Bure and Van Praet, contains MSS., noteworthy incunabula, and books printed on vellum or large paper. The sale, consisting of 5668 lots, made the enormous sum of 464,677 liv. 8 s.

"The manuscripts constitute an amazing collection of early French poetry and romances."­Taylor, Book Catalogues, p. 248. More

1 p.l., 40 pp., one leaf. 8vo, stitched as issued, uncut. Paris: Saugrain & Lamy, 1779.

Very rare sale catalogue, printed in double columns which is rather unusual. Most of the books are 17th and 18th century. 1379 lots.

Fine copy. More

One folding engraved plate. Title printed in red & black. Double-page title, 14, 364, [1], 61, 925, [1], 485, [1] pp. Four parts in one vol. Thick 8vo, cont. calf (one corner worn, some browning due to the quality of the paper), single gilt fillet round sides, spine nicely gilt. Celle: J.G. Passin, 1744.

The very rare auction catalogue of the monumental collection of ancient and modern medals and coins formed by Gerhard Wolter Molanus (1633-1722), the influential Lutheran theologian and abbot of Loccum. After Molanus' death, the collection passed to his disciple and nephew Justus Christoph Boehmer (1671-1732), who succeeded his uncle as abbot of Loccum.

This was an enormously valuable collection; we know that upon Molanus' death his estate has to pay the very large sum of 66,000 thalers in taxes on the collection. More

8 pp. 8vo, 19th-cent. marbled boards (joints restored), spine gilt. Paris: Poultier & Constantin, 1807.

The rare sale catalogue, fully priced in a contemporary hand, of Louis François Prault (1734-1806), ancien Imprimeur du Roi and son of the great publisher and bookseller Laurent François (1712-80). Prault’s firm printed many auction catalogues in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Because of the Constantins relationship with the Prault family, who printed almost all of their sale catalogues, either Guillaume Jean Constantin or his son, Amédée, was the expert for this sale.

The present catalogue describes Prault’s choice collection of paintings (by Greuze, Lancret, Teniers, Wijnants, van Goyen, etc.), drawings (by Titian, Caravaggio, Panini, Le Sueur, Cochin, etc.), as well as sculpture and ceramics. There is a total of 63 lots, all priced. More

Par G. Martin. Engraved frontis. port. of the collector & engraved vignette with arms on title. xii, xxiv, 618 pp. 8vo, cont. mottled calf (head of spine a bit worn), spine gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. Paris: G. Martin, 1746.

Rothelin (1692-1744), a younger son of Marquis Henri de Rothelin, a French war hero (see Hoefer), descended from a natural son of François d'Orléans (d. 1548). Rothelin was one of the most eminent French book collectors of the 18th-century; he had his books, many large paper copies, bound by the outstanding binders of the time, such as Boyer, Padeloup and Duseuil;... More

1 p.l., 29 pp. Small 8vo, attractive modern marbled wrappers. [London]: 1816.

A very rare priced catalogue, listing about 500 titles, issued by one of the most important London booksellers of the time. The firm had two locations, joined by a bridge across the street between shops. Black apprenticed for his father from 1781 to 1789 and was succeeded by his son, Alexander. The firm continued until the middle of the 19th century.

Fine copy. More

N.p.: ca. 1844.

A fine library catalogue describing the collection of the Comte de Fortis (1768-1847), French man of letters and lawyer. Born at Chambéry, Fortis served as an avocat général at the court of Lyon and wrote many literary works including accounts of Lyon and Aix-les-Bains as well as a memoir of Jacquard.

This is a handsomely-written manuscript library catalogue, listing about 1300 books, mostly belles-lettres, travel, and law from the 18th and early 19th centuries. The latest book entered we have noticed is dated 1844. More

63 pp. Small 8vo, self-bound. [Vienna, Prague, or Karlsbad?]: 1806.

Franz Haas (1762-1811), was a publisher and bookseller with branches in Vienna, Prague, and Karlsbad, the famous spa in western Bohemia in today’s Czech Republic. This catalogue of about 1000 priced items was prepared to help guests pass the time while taking the cure at Karlsbad. The catalogue contains collected works of popular poets and novelists, books with engravings, children’s books, travel, a small selection of French books, and much engraved music for various instruments.

Fine copy and very rare; WorldCat does not list a copy. More

Many black & white illus. Ca. 320 unnumbered pages. Photocopied paper (280 x 215 mm.), mounted with a metal bracket in the orig. manila folder, title written in blue marker on upper cover & spine. [From title page & spine]: San Francisco: S. Leiber, 1994.

A famous Steven Leiber (1957-2012) catalogue, his 16th, describing more than 700 items; printed in an edition of about 100 copies. This catalogue is modeled after Harald Szeemann’s catalogue for the celebrated Live in Your Head: When Attitudes Become Form exhibition presented at the Kunstalle Bern in 1969. “Rose Holtz,” mentioned on the cover, is Leiber’s grandmother, whose basement hosted his premises... More

Many black & white photocopied illus. 18 unnumbered leaves. 8vo (215 x 143 mm.), printed pictorial wrappers, staple-bound. [San Francisco: 2005].

A rare catalogue (no. 44) issued in zine form by Leiber that offers 39 works by Raymond Pettibon, including drawings, artist’s books, ephemera, and a collaborative piece with Ed Ruscha. These were all shown at 871 Fine Arts in an exhibition assembled by Adrienne Fish and Leiber. This catalogue is modeled after Pettibon’s zine Tripping Corpse, published by SST Records from 1981 to 1985.

In fine condition. WorldCat records only three copies in North America. More