4 p.l., 219, [1] pp., one leaf with schedule of the sale. 8vo, attractive antique blue calf-backed boards, spine gilt, uncut. 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 (1778-1850), lived as a hermit, alone and isolated in a rundown apartment... More about Catalogue des Livres de la Bibliothéque de M. Motteley, composée d'une Collection considérable...

Many fine plates (several in color). Folio, orig. vellum-backed cloth, spine gilt, blue morocco lettering piece on spine (rubbed), t.e.g. London: Maggs Brothers, 1956.

Limited to 300 copies, printed at the Cambridge University Press. This is one of the best surveys of the history of bookbinding, ranging from a 12th century Romanesque binding to work by Roger Powell.

Fine copy. With an offprint, inscribed by A.N.L. Munby, of his review which appeared in The Library. More about Broxbourne Library. Styles and Designs of Bookbinding from the Twelfth to the Twentieth Century....

Five engraved plates, two finely engraved headpieces, & several engravings in the text (some full-page). 12 p.l., 810 pp. Folio, cont. polished speckled calf, spine richly gilt. Paris: Guerin & Robustel, 1715.

First edition of this monumental catalogue, compiled by Montfaucon, the eminent historian and founder of Greek paleography, of the magnificent collection of Greek MSS. owned by Coislin (1664-1732), French prelate. A very scarce book, this is only the second copy I have had in thirty years.

Most of the manuscripts come from the library of Pierre Séguier (1588-1682), the celebrated Chancellor of France and Coislin’s grandfather. “The manuscripts were given to the... More about Bibliotheca Coisliniana, olim Segueriana; sive Manuscriptorum Omnium Graecorum...accedunt...

Ten vertical lines per page, 19 characters per line. 44; 60; 53 folding leaves & 57; 62; 64 folding leaves. Three vols. of Hogen Monogatari & three vols. of Heiji Monogatari, issued together. Large 8vo (283 x 208), orig. dark wrappers dyed with persimmon juice (shibubiki), new stitching. [Japan: privately printed with movable type, mid-Keicho, ca. 1607-08].

There are several movable type editions of these famous war tales; ours is of the earliest printing but is an apparently unknown variant. Kawase states that there are two variants of the mid-Keicho “ten line” edition of these two tales. The first listed — but with no priority — has 18 characters per line... More about The Tale of Hogen, the Tale of Heiji

[Compiled by Giusto Fontanini]. Large engraved vignette on title & woodcut initials throughout the text. 1 p.l., v, [1], 738 pp. Folio, cont. calf (neatly rebacked by Aquarius with the orig. spine laid-down, corners repaired), spine richly gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. Rome: F. Gonzaga, 1711.

First edition of the catalogue of Cardinal Imperiali’s large (ca. 20,000 titles) and magnificent library bequeathed to the public upon his death in 1737. This rich and varied catalogue of rare and early books is arranged alphabetically by author in the first part (pp. 1-582), which was a fairly advanced technique for the time. Pages 583-738... More about Bibliothecae Josephi Renati Imperialis...Catalogus Secundum Auctorum cognomina ordine alphabetico...

2 p.l., 164, 5 pp. 12mo, early 19th-cent. half-calf & marbled boards (short crack at foot of upper joint), flat spine nicely gilt. Paris: de l’Imprimerie de Didot l’Ainé, 1783.

Limited to 25 copies only, finely printed by Didot on Annonay paper; this is one of the rarest and oddest of all private library catalogues.

Mérard (1749-1812), man of letters, was born into a family of great wealth and, for a number of years, was in charge of the residence of the future Louis XIII. After retiring from his public duties in 1782, he concentrated on his growing collection of books and on... More about Catalogue des Livres en très petit Nombre qui composent la Bibliotheque de M. Mérard de S....

Woodcut arms on title. 119, [1], 48, 36, 45 pp. Four parts in one vol. 12mo, 19th-cent. red morocco by R. Petit, triple gilt fillet round sides, spine richly gilt, a.e.g. Paris: F. Le Cointe & D. Horthemels, 1686.

The extremely rare inventory catalogue of the manuscripts in the large and famous library of Pierre Séguier (1588-1672), chancellor of France and a man of deep learning. Séguier was a true bibliophile and an omnivorous one: Sauval, in his catalogue of the great Parisian libraries prepared in 1653-60, estimated at that time only the libraries of the King and Mazarin were larger; Séguier then owned about... More about Catalogue des Manuscrits de la Bibliothèque de defunt Monseigneur le Chancellier Séguier

Title printed in red & black. 1 p.l., 70 pp., 1 leaf. 8vo, cont. vellum over boards, black morocco lettering piece on spine (label abraded). [Venice: J.B. Pasquali, 1737].

The very rare second edition, enlarged by 21 additional incunabula (the first edition of ca. 1735 lists 227 titles and was printed in an edition of only fifty copies) of Consul Smith’s privately printed catalogue of his magnificent collection of incunabula. Only a few copies of this edition were printed (an early note on the title-page of this copy states only 25 copies were printed).

Smith (1682-1770), was British Consul at Venice and, in 1765, sold his superb library to George III for 10,000 pounds. It thus became the nucleus of the “King’s Library” and of the British Museum (now Library). Horace Walpole sneered at Smith as “the merchant of Venice” who knew nothing of his books save their title-pages, but the censure is quite undeserved. More about Catalogus Librorum Rarissimorum, ab Artis Typographicae Inventoribus, aliisque eiusdem Artis...