Dictionnaire typographique, historique et critique des livres rares, singuliers, estimés et recherchés en tous genres.

1768. Paris, Lacombe, 1768. 2 vols. (xii),515pp & (iv),456pp. With the 3pp. Approbation by De La Lande and the Privilege du Roi at the end which is not always present. Typographic and woodcut head- and tailpieces. Contemporary full calf. Spine gilt (rubbed & sl. dam.). On the inside front covers of both volumes inscribed: Livres de la Bibliothèque de Gabriel Jean Brac and his wax seal. Important early book-collecting handbook compiled by Jean Baptiste Louis Osmont (1710-1773), a Parisian bookseller. Born into a family of booksellers he had the idea to write a bibliographical dictionary to make known the rarest books, the best editions and the auction prices of the books. It became this work which alphabetically lists the correct editions of over 7000 works. As planned, the entries are annotated with bibliographical information, notes on rarity and auction prices realised. It also gives historical and critical anecdotes about the books. Bigmore & Wyman p. 96: A bibliographical work on rare and best editions, but with little that is specially typographical. It is now superceded by Brunet's manual. And Archer Taylor in his 'Catalogues of Rare Books' says: had a large share in determining the character of later French catalogues of rare books. In this success it resembles Vogt's Catalogus, which similarly determined the character of later French catalogues in Germany during the eighteenth century. Osmont's title suggests and his preface states clearly that he was making a list of choice books suitable for a good private library was well as a list of rare books. (p. 25). In his compilation Osmont was helped by Barthelemy Mercier, Librarian of the Abbey of St.-Genevieve and Albert François Floncel, the Royal censor and owner of a large library of Italian Books. (Brunet 31330; Quérard, VI, 506; Horne p. 539). Very good copy of this bibliography that gives information on the booktrade in the eighteenth century.