Catalogus Librorum Bibliothecae Illustrissimi Viri Caroli Henrici Comitis De Hoym, Olim Regis Poloniae Augusti II. Apud Regem Christianissimum Legati Extraordinarii. Degestus & Descriptus à Gabriele Martin, Bibliopola Parisiensi. Cum Indice Auctorum alphabetico.

1738. Paris, Gabriel & Claude Martin, 1738. (6), xx, 528, (58)pp. 4to. Contemporary mottled calf. Spine with 5 raised bands, goldtooled. Red titleshield. Edges stained red. Priced throughout and with some notes in a contemporary hand. 4785 items described including manuscripts, maps, prints and fine bindings and significant holdings of Elzeviers. The last 58 pages contain an alphabetical author index. (As usual the 6 pages with the books omitted from the sale not present. They are very rare and only to be found in a few copies) According to Bléchet, the collections was originally to be sold en block but in fact it was sold at auction between 12 May and 2 August 1738. The collection belonged to the celebrated book collector Count Karl Heinrich Hoym (1794-1738) who was the former Polish ambassador in France. He committed suicide in 1738; the present catalogue was edited by Gabriel Martin, (1679-1761), the famous French bookseller and bibliographer. It was he who introduced a new system of classification for (auction) catalogues, no longer by size but by themes. He has edited no less than 150 catalogues and the Hoym collection was one of the most elaborate ones. Martin knew Hoym and had played a role in forming the collection. He for instance bought several important books for Hoym at the du Fay sale in 1725. The Hoym collection contained no less than five Grolier bindings. A very good copy of this important auction catalogue. [cf. Pollard & Ehrmann 276, Taylor p. 246; Grolier Club # 46, Bléchet p. 97, Blogie II 3. Catalogue of the distinguished library of the former Polish ambassador to France, Count Hoym, d. 1736, who amassed a splendid collection of current and early books significant for Italian literary history, vernacular literature, Aldines, Frobens, Estiennes, etc. Count Hoym's library was catalogued by the Paris bibliographer-bookseller Martin, 1679-1761. The library was sold at auction at the Hotel de Longueville in 1738 when many volumes went to Horace Walpole.