One finely engraved head-piece. 4 p.l., LXXX pp. 8vo, attractive early 19th-century calf-backed marbled boards, flat spine gilt, orange & green morocco lettering pieces on spines. [Venice, ca. 1776].

[bound with]:

(PINELLI, Maffeo). Catalogo di Quadri raccolti dal fu Signor Maffeo Pinelli, ed ora posti in vendita in Venezia 1785. viii, 125 pp., one blank leaf. 8vo. [Venice: July 1785]. More

46 pp. Large 4to (270 x 210 mm.), orig. printed wrappers, staple-bound. [Toronto: 1979].

A very rare and early catalogue published by Art Metropole; unrecorded on WorldCat. On the inside of the upper wrapper, Art Metropole’s archivist Tim Guest lays out a definition of the artist’s book: “Since the early 1960‘ [sic] artists have been producing bookworks as a completely autonomous artform. Different in that they exist outside the traditions of either the ‘literary text’ or the ‘illustrated book’, they are instead books as works of art in themselves. They belong to that movement in art history which seeks to de-emphasize form and aesthetics... More

14 black & white illus. 36 unnumbered pages. Irregularly shaped small 4to (200 x 200 mm.), die-cut corners (spine faintly rubbed), staple-bound. [Chicago]: The University of Chicago Library, 1986.

An important exhibition catalogue as well as reference work on artists’ books. This catalogue was designed by the book artist Buzz Spector (b. 1948), and his pencil notes for the mock-up have been reproduced in this final version. Jeffrey Abt, the organizer of the exhibition, writes in an insightful essay: “The contemporary artist’s book…represents an evolution of the book’s use from a vehicle for text and its illustration to an artistically integrated, sometimes sculptural object. Though superficially... More

Finely engraved frontis. (mounted on a stub at an early date). xvi, ix-xii, 306, lv pp. Small 8vo (165 x 100 mm.), cont. mottled sheep, green morocco lettering-pieces on spine, spine gilt. Paris: P. Prault & J. Barrois, 1747.

The uncommon catalogue of one of Gersaint’s great auctions, with his customary erudite descriptions. The Vicomte de Fonspertuis (1669-1747), “despite a Jansenist education, entered whole-heartedly into the life of the royal court and won the favour of Philippe II, Duc d’Orléans. He developed his love of art through his maternal uncle, Du Vivier, who bequeathed him his remarkable collection, rich in curiosities, East Asian porcelain and... More

x, 69 pp. Small 8vo (165 x 105 mm.), late 19th-century brown morocco-backed marbled boards (head of spine chipped), spine gilt. Paris: Didot l’aîné, 1766.

The uncommon auction catalogue, fully priced and with many buyers’ names written throughout in a contemporary hand, of the wide-ranging collection (or stock?) of the famed portraitist, peintre du roi, and close friend of Chardin. According to Patrick Michel, Aved (1702-66) was one of the most well-known examples of an artist with a sideline as a dealer; the Académie de Saint-Luc accused him of “the illegal practice of selling and disloyal competition.” The Baron von Grimm wrote... More

Woodcut vignette on title. 24 pp. 8vo (200 x 125 mm.), late 19th-century stiff marbled boards (spine a little rubbed), brown morocco lettering-piece on spine. Paris: C. Ballard, 1758.

A rare early sale catalogue of drawings and prints compiled by Basan (1723-97), one of the leading experts of the mid-18th century. Divided by vacation, the catalogue concisely describes 199 group lots, some quite large. Each section concludes with a portefeuille.

Very good copy. Engraved bookplate of G[eorges] P[annier] (1853-1944), the Parisian art dealer and collector, and stamp of the Bibliothèque Heim on verso of title. Contemporary manuscript correction on p. 7. More

96 pp. Small 8vo, attractive antique calf-backed paste paper boards, spine gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine.Paris: Bénard, 1816.

The rare sale catalogue of this impressive varied auction. Antoine François Piéri Bénard (fl. 1810-40), prominent art dealer and for a time marchand de la Bibliothèque du Roi, advised Eugène Dutuit on his art collecting. In the present catalogue, he thoroughly describes 504 lots. Pages 60-77, numbered separately, contain meticulously detailed and considerable group lots. These lots consist of the works of van Dyck, Hollar, Hondius, de Jode, Pontius (almost three full pages), and Vorsterman. Lots 418-75 details a selection... More

99 pp. 8vo, attractive antique calf-backed paste-paper boards, spine gilt, red morocco lettering-piece on spine. Paris: Joullain, 1778.

The uncommon sale catalogue, fully priced throughout and with buyers’ names, of a noteworthy collection devoted primarily to Italian art and sculpture. Bourlat de Montredon (d. 1777), was an influential amateur and collector who resided in Constantinople for forty years.

The catalogue thoroughly describes 695 lots, many of which are composed of numerous items. Lots 579-671 are Bourlat de Montredon’s impressive group of books of prints, mostly focused on the architecture and decorative arts of Italy, including a number of works by Piranesi. The descriptions... More

1 p.l., iv, 106 pp. 8vo (196 x 122 mm.), 20th-century marbled boards, red morocco lettering-piece on spine. Paris: Constantin, Salle & Chariot; Amsterdam: Coclers; Antwerp: Beckmans; Brussels: Marneef; Mannheim: Armaaia; London: W. Woodburn, 1817.

A scarce sale catalogue, largely priced in a contemporary hand, describing drawings and sculptures from the cabinet of the important dealer Constantin (1755-1816). It also likely included his remaining stock. Constantin was one of the leading French vendors of drawings, starting in the 1790s until his death. His clients included Empress Joséphine and Johann Friedrich Städel, whose collection established the Städel Museum. Joséphine even named him as her personal curator... More

28 pp. 8vo (215 x 140 mm.), late 19th-century red cloth, title on spine. Paris: Fournier, Folliot & Delalande, 1789.

A rare sale catalogue with no copy in American institutional collections. Courval, vicomte d’Anizy (d. 1788), conseiller of Parlement, amassed a choice group of paintings and prints. This catalogue describes 127 lots, including 51 lots of paintings (by Carracci, Molenaer, Vignon, Hubert Robert, Licherie, Ferret, etc.), four lots of drawings, 52 lots of prints, seven lots of porcelain, ten lots of sculpture, and three miscellaneous group lots. A note at the end of the catalogue advertises the sale of Courval’s arms, jewelry, clocks, snuffboxes, desk... More

vi, 50 pp. 8vo (200 x 130 mm.), late 19th-century aubergine morocco-backed marbled boards, spine gilt. Paris: Delaroche & Balbastre, 1813.

A rare sale catalogue, fully annotated in a contemporary hand with prices and nearly all buyers’ names, issued by the dealer-expert Delaroche (a. 1795-1821). He was the father of the great history painter Paul Delaroche (1797-1856), and one of the more prominent vendors of paintings in Paris at the turn of the century. Delaroche frequently collaborated with Paillet on important sales like those of Robit (1801), van Eyl Sluyter (1802), and Prince Giustiniani (1808/12). His final sale, probably consisting of stock, was held in December 1821 (Lugt 10140).

Only in recent years have art historians been able to firmly identify the owner of these paintings. The work of Monica Preti Hamard and Hélène Sécherre narrowed it down to François Louis Esprit Dubois (1758-1828), a police official residing in Florence who avidly collected 16th- and 17th-century Italian paintings. Adoration of the Magi by Lippi and Fra Angelico (now National Gallery of Art, Washington) and Botticelli’s Adoration of the Kings (now National Gallery, London) were once part of his collection, but are not described in the present collection. Dubois purchased many works from the celebrated Guicciardini collection in Florence. Dubois’s collection was dispersed in two sales, the present one, and one in May 1816, which mostly offered Northern paintings. More

Folding engraved frontis. & five engraved plates. 2 p.l., 2, 32 pp., [2], 33-103. 8vo, cont. half-sheep & marbled boards (rejointed & extremities rubbed), spine gilt. Edinburgh: Printed by J. Hutchison, [1833].

A famous sale with fatal results; it is clear that this copy survived the collapse of the floor on which the sale was held. John Clerk, Lord Eldin (1757–1832), was one of the leading Scottish lawyers of his time; “he acquired so extensive a practice that, it is said, at one period of his career he had nearly half the business of the court in his hands. As a pleader he was remarkable, both for... More