Search Results: Titles starting with C from Bruce McKittrick Rare Books

Modena: Heirs of G. Cassiani, 1690. Contemporary tan calf (worn) decorated with ten tools. The wide outer frame has gilt rules around a daisy roll, interrupted in the middle of each side with blind impressions of drawer handles and at the corners with interlacing vines and foliage. A narrow gilt vine roll sets off the large partly azured inner corner ornaments in blind. The center of the blind scrollwork central cartouche is gilt. The flat spine has drawer handles repeated in the four compartments (crown and base repaired); evidence of four leather ties, edges mottled red.             Only Edition. "One of the finest works written on the subject...of excessive rarity" (Fétis, tr.), the book is rarely found complete with all three engravings, as here. It deals with chant - alone and as the basis of new polyphonic compositions. Its five parts and some eighty-five chapters of increasing complexity cover the basics of plainchant, the eight standard church modes and practical aspects of singing.  … Read More

[Mechelen (Malines): Joseph Dochez], 1778. HOUSED IN A CONTEMPORARY "BLOOK" - A MOTTLED CALF-COVERED WOODEN BOX MADE TO LOOK LIKE FIVE UNIFORMLY BOUND QUARTO VOLUMES (worn); each spine has one black and five gilt-lettered red calf labels; the top of the box slides off horizontally. Ad I-II: COMPLETE and complemented by its fugitive illustrated Prospectus. This is the first printed large-scale topographic map of Belgium and Luxembourg, produced "in response to the shortage of accurate and reliable maps experienced by the military forces during the Seven Years' War" (Vervust).             Closely associated with the Viennese Court and a skilled artillerist, Ferraris directed the survey from 1771 to 1775. "Its execution was headed by three members of his staff...who led as many as 178 members of the artillery corps...using only simple plane tables and surveyor's chains" (Bracke, History). Ferraris produced three 275-sheet manuscript maps - one for the Austrian Emperor, one for the Duke of… Read More

The Hague: [Amsterdam, Allart and Co. for] C. Mensing et al., 1807. Contemporary calf-backed and tipped speckled boards (rubbed, joints of Vol. II split at the crown), flat spines covered in blooms and foliage, gilt red and yellow morocco labels. INTERLEAVED. The private numismatic library and spectacular coin and medal collection of the first Dutch antiquarian bookseller. THIS SET NEATLY RECORDS EVERY PRICE AND BUYER IN MANUSCRIPT ON THE INTERLEAVED BLANKS.  Damme vocationally devoted himself exclusively to old books and manuscripts. He organized auctions and counted Thomas Jefferson a customer. Over fifty years, Damme amassed more than 5700 gold, silver and bronze ancient and modern coins and medals and assembled a superb supporting library on numismatics, archaeology, antiquities and collecting. The book entries often cite bibliographies and note provenance and annotation. The coins and medals are ranked from "R" for rare to "RRRR" for unica.  The present manuscript annotations allow a… Read More

Antwerp: L.-P. Delacroix, 1824. Stabbed as issued in original printed wrappers (spine gone, first recto and final verso soiled). THE BELGIAN JURIST'S AUCTION CATALOG IS DIVIDED INTO THOMAS JEFFERSON'S THREE CATEGORIES OF KNOWLEDGE: Memory, Reason and Imagination. Our thanks to Mme. Meghan Constantinou for drawing our attention to this connection. Arbeltier had a good run of English literature in French translation. The other two recorded copies are in Belgium. In original condition. ¶Blogie, Répertoire des catalogues de ventes de livres I: 69.

Paris: L.-É. Testu, 1806. 19th-century calf-backed marbled boards, spine and title gilt. Classical text editor, philologist, manuscript hunter and collector, Villoison (1750-1805) focused on fine and large paper copies of scholarly and antiquarian Greek literature. At the time of the sale, this copy's owner marked in manuscript fifty-nine lots with an M, AM or LM and a three to nine digit number. He also recorded the prices realized in pencil for a third of the lots, including the coded ones. In good condition, lower and outer margins uncut (occasional light spotting, narrow worm trail in some blank upper margins), bookplate of lawyer Frédéric Chéron (d. 1922). ¶Peignot, Répertoire bibliographique universel 131; Blogie, Répertoire des catalogues de ventes II: 25.

Paris: [Citoyenne Pitel for] F.L. Regnault-Delalande and J.C. Silvestre, 1805. Slightly later red sheep-backed marbled boards (rubbed), flat spine and title gilt (tips chipped), uncut. The independently wealthy physician devoted his life to amassing the roughly one hundred paintings and many thousands of prints and drawings that make up these 600 lots, strong in Northern artists. Some of his finest pieces came from Mariette's sales. Dürer, Beham, Lucas van Leyden and a suite of some 2000 portraits by Nanteuil made the highest prices. Priced in contemporary manuscript, indexed by artist, and with the 19-page printed price list bound in. Good condition. ¶Lugt, Répertoire des...ventes 6939; Brunet I: xlv; Cicognara, Catalogo...dei libri d'arte 4571; see Lugt's Marques I p. 335.

Paris: [Le Blanc for] F.-L. Regnault-Delandine, 1810. Contemporary drab paper wrappers (spine repaired), printed spine label, uncut. FIVE GENERATIONS OF PAINTERS, ENGRAVERS AND PRINT PUBLISHERS BUILT THIS COLLECTION - Israël Henriet (c. 1590-1661), Israël Silvestre (1621-91), Charles-François Silvestre (1667-1741), Nicolas-Charles Silvestre (1699-1767) and Jacques-Augustin Silvestre (1719-1809).  Paintings and drawings first (673 lots), then prints (653) follow. Many come directly from the artists. The intaglio entries often note the state of the impressions. Described in thirty pages, lot 792 (Portraits) is an intimidating collection in itself: 345 individual sheets by or after Van Dyk representing sixty-two artists. With a preliminary life of the consignor, essays on national schools and an index, the catalog also serves as a reference book. Both the Order of Sale and the printed price list (each 16p.) are bound in. In good condition, bookplate and embossed title stamp of art historian Baron… Read More

Paris: G.-F. Debure, 1782. Retrospective mottled calf (nicely done), spine and title gilt, red edges. One finds in this catalog the best French vernacular books in all areas...the best editions, printed on large paper" (p. [iii], tr.). The duc d'Aumont oversaw official and theatrical state entertainments for Louis XV and Louis XVI and was an outstanding collector of objets d'art. His library was rich in literature, theater, history, the decorative arts, print suites, festival books, priced copies of art auctions and architecture. In this copy, PRICES ARE SUPPLIED IN CONTEMPORARY MANUSCRIPT AND LOTS PURCHASED BY PARISIAN BOOKSELLER PIERRE-MICHEL LAMY (fl. 1777-1813) HIGHLIGHTED. In good condition (a few upper corners lightly stained, outer margin of the title neatly supplied), some outer and lower edges uncut. ¶North, Printed Catalogues of French Book Auctions 304.

Amsterdam: D. Elzevier, 1674. Contemporary stiff vellum with overlapping edges (small hole in the rear cover), manuscript spine title. A SELECT UNIVERSAL BIBLIOGRAPHY" (Breslauer & Folter). With nearly 20,000 titles, this is the largest, most international and most important 17th-century bookseller's catalog. It served a cosmopolitan European clientele. The third generation typefounder, printer, editor and bookseller divided his Latin inventory into theology, law, medicine and varia. He imposed the same scheme on his holdings of French and German books. The Italian, Spanish and English language materials are in three straight alphabets. A fine, crisp copy. ¶Breslauer & Folter, Bibliography its History & Development 68; Bigmore & Wyman, Bibliography of Printing I: 196; Willems, Les Elzevier 15.

Paris: [G.-A. Crapelet for] J.-J. and M.-J. Debure, 1818. Original drab blue wrappers, letterpress spine label (spine mostly gone, sewing loosening), uncut. A library of 4500 titles, particularly Greek and Latin classics and antiquities with hundreds of Estiennes and other choice early editions, including de Thou's large paper copy in red morocco of Passerat's Catullus and books annotated by Jacopo Corbinelli (1535-90). Internally fresh, Royal Library in The Hague duplicate. ¶Blogie, Répertoire des catalogues de ventes II: 34; North, Printed Catalogues of French Book Auctions 570 (as Pierre Clavier; 1748-1812).

Paris: [Leblanc for] F.L. Regnault-Delalande, 1817. Contemporary red sheep-backed marbled boards (rubbed), flat spine and title gilt, uncut. Buying his first prints in 1762, the comte Rigal (b. 1747) formed an extraordinary collection, here "scientifically described" by the auctioneer Regnault-Delalande (Lugt, tr.). His exceedingly detailed notes record states unknown to previous scholars, including Bartsch. The prints account for some 1000 lots, then a few collecting guides and lastly twelve copperplates from the renowned French flower painter Pancrace Bessa's monumental Fleurs et fruits of 1808, along with 2999 proofs printed in color, colored by hand or pulled in black. The Bessa made 8405 francs - no other lot breached 800 fr. The final twenty pages list Regnault-Delalande's two hundred eighty-three art auction catalogs (1785-1817). In good condition, priced throughout in contemporary ms., indexed by artist, and with the 15-page printed price list bound in. ¶Blanc, Trésor de la curiosité II:… Read More

Paris: P. Vente, 1769. Contemporary gilt-ruled polished tan calf (rubbed), flat spine gilt à la grotesque with a gilt-lettered morocco label, red edges, blue silk marker. A talented sculptor and frame-maker, Cayeux (1688-1769) collected for six decades: "his cabinet was renowned for its examples of 'our talented modern artists'" like Boucher, van Loo and Cochin (Bailey). Many lots have eighty or more drawings or prints. One copy in the U.S. In good condition, contemporary title inscription On behalf of your most humble servant Cayeux (tr.) - ?penned by the deceased collector's son, Louis-Philippe (d. 1776). ¶Bailey, Patriotic Taste: Collecting Modern Art in Pre-Revolutionary Paris 21-22; Advielle, Notice sur Philippe Cayeux passim; Lugt, Répertoire des catalogues des ventes 1793.

Paris: A.-A. Renouard, 1807. Late 19th-century polished calf and marbled boards, gilt-lettered flat spine with the title and date, edges spinkled red and brown, green silk marker. PRICED IN CONTEMPORARY MANUSCRIPT. Early books on vellum, fine and armorial bindings, Aldines, large paper copies, illuminated manuscripts, prints, drawings, Redouté, vernacular incunables, modern fine printing.... Amassed during his five decades of bookselling, Lamy's collection was dispersed in seventy-four sessions January through April 1808. History, literature, the sciences and the arts dominated, though law and theology did not suffer for want of choice copies of liturgical works, coutumes, picture Bibles, French Revolution decrees (14 vols. on vellum), Dürer's Large Passion, etc. Lamy fell on hard times and probably sold his library to capitalize his business or meet his creditors' demands: he declared bankruptcy in 1808.      In addition to prices, the annotator noted combined lots, omitted books, defective… Read More

Rome: Paolo Manuzio, 1566. Contemporary vellum over flexible paper boards (soiled), manuscript spine title, evidence of four pigskin ties. First Edition of the Tridentine catechism, one of two issues (priority unresolved). this justly handsome book is the bedrock of roman catholic faith instruction. Five popes oversaw its extended and complex creation.      Paolo Manuzio's papal privilege expressly prohibiting domestic and international piracy is backed by the threat of excommunication for any infringement. However, by the end of 1568, it had been printed a dozen times in four countries. A few quires on poorer paper, pale stains in half the lower margins, a few outer margins uncut, a Macerata cleric's partly canceled ownership inscription dated 1626, stamps of the church of San Paolo (Macerata; deconsecrated). ¶Mortimer, Italian 16th-Century Books 504; Bellinger, Bibliographie des Catechismus Romanus 1 & Abb. 1; Renouard, Annales...des Alde 200,5; EDIT16 CNCE 12057 var. B; Ferraglio, Il Concilio… Read More

Paris: Antoine Saultereau, 1631. Contemporary gilt red morocco à la Du Seuil (scuffed, front stained, hinges and corners neatly repaired), marbled pastedowns, blank free endleaves, gilt-lettered spine and title, all edges gilt. THIS BEAUTIFUL AND COMPLEX HYBRID BOOK BINDS ART, COLLECTING, INSTRUCTION AND ENTERTAINMENT. Carefully planned and neatly assembled, it could serve artists, curiosity cabinet owners and children of wealthy families. It draws on coins, medals, statuary, paintings, architecture, manuscripts and printed books like Sainte-Marthe's biographies, Rouillé's Promptuaire and the bibliographies of Du Verdier and Gesner.      The present example spans Eastern and Western rulers, biblical figures, intellectuals, statesmen, nobles, clerics and pagan gods. It includes the most celebrated series, Famous Frenchmen since 1500 (cut by Léonard Gaultier, no. 18) with portraits of, i.a., Vesalius, Erasmus, Nostradamus, Budé, Alciati, Mercator, Ortelius, Thevet, Rabelais, Ronsard, Robert… Read More

France, 1750. This almost certainly contained a manuscript diary, apparently of a sensitive nature. Exquisite luxury book covers.