Bauman Rare Books – December Holiday 2012 Catalogue

December Holiday 2012 Catalogue

O catálogo á apresentado com esta introdução na Newsletter:

“Our last catalogue of the year features an exceptional selection of new acquisitions and fine gift suggestions.

We are pleased to offer the very rare privately printed subscribers' edition of T.E. Lawrence's masterpiece Seven Pillars of Wisdom. This is one of only 170 complete copies initialed and dated by Lawrence.

The catalogue opens with Francis Frith’s Egypt and Palestine, two folio volumes of 19th-century photographs of Egyptian and Palestinian antiquities, with 76 lovely mounted albumen prints.

First editions of all five of Charles Dickens’ renowned Christmas Books in the original cloth—including a rare first issue of his beloved A Christmas Carol—would make a superb holiday gift.

This catalogue features autograph letters and documents signed by Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin, as well as books signed and inscribed by John F. Kennedy, Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, and many others. And we are pleased to present a wonderful selection of beautifully framed illuminated manuscript leaves and handsomely bound Bibles.”

Vem isto a propósito de como nunca se devem guiar pelas minhas avaliações!

Porquê?

Pois se eu estivesse em condições de adquirir algum dos livros deste catálogo, seguramente não escolheria nenhum deles, pois não se encontram nos horizontes das temáticas ou obras que me interessam.

(nem me passa pela cabeça pôr em questão a escolha do livreiro-antiquário que me parecem perfeitamente correctas e justificadas)

Por exemplo, gostaria muito que qualquer um destes dois exemplares (e por que não os dois?) viesse enriquecer a minha biblioteca:

Louis XV, “The Well-Loved”: Commemorative 18th Century Fête Royale, Fully Engraved Atlas Folio, With Splendid Double-Page Plates, In Presentation Binding With The Arms Of Louis XV

38. (LOUIS XV) WEIS, Johann Martin. Représentation des fêtes donneés par la ville de Strasbourg. Paris, 1745. Atlas folio (19 by 25 inches), contemporary full brown mottled calf gilt rebacked, front and rear covers feature gilt centerpieces of the crest and arms of Louis XV and the crest and arms of the city of Strasbourg in the four corners.

First edition of this splendid fête book, with the portrait of Louis XV le Bien Aimé (the “well loved”) on horseback (often not present), 11 double-page engravings, and twenty pages of fully engraved text framed in decorative fleuron borders, with head and tailpiece vignettes. A lovely copy in original calf-gilt by Michel Padeloup, bookbinder to the King, decorated with the gilt arms of Louis XV and the city of Strasbourg.

(Belo exemplar e com uma encadernação por esse mestre que foi Michel Padeloup)

In the year 1744, while hastening from his conquests in Flanders during the war of the Austrian Succession to assist Alsace, Louis XV was felled by a malady at Metz which threatened to cut short his reign. According to the Abrégé Chronologique de l’Histoire de France, “At the news of this, Paris, all in terror, seemed a city taken by storm: the churches resounded with supplications and groans; the prayers of priests and people were every moment interrupted by their sobs: and it was from an interest so dear and tender that this surname of Bien-aime fashioned itself, a title higher still than all the rest which this great Prince has earned” (Paris, 1775). Louis XV spent five days in October, 1744 recuperating from this illness in Strasbourg. This large atlas folio commemorates the king’s stay in that city with 11 double-page engravings depicting his arrival and the subsequent festivities, including a fireworks display. The engravings are followed by 20 pages of fully engraved text describing the festivities and participants. Executed by the Strasbourgian engraver Jean-Martin Weiss in collaboration with the Royal Engraver J. Ph. La Bas these images represent Louis XV at the height of his popularity and power. Text in French. Lewine, 455. This copy with printed ticket pasted to the foot of the title page: “Relié par Padeloup/ Relieur du Roy/ place Sorbonne à Paris.” Michel Padeloup, royal bookbinder to Louis XV, executed this binding and decorated it with the King’s coat-of-arms, quite possibly intended as a gift by the crown of France. Owner signature. Engravings clean; tape repair to lower corner of portrait. Early joint repairs tender, restoration to extremities of binding, very good condition. A beautifully bound and illustrated volume.

“It Was The Best Of Times, It Was The Worst Of Times”: First Edition Of Dickens’ Tale Of Two Cities (obra que me falta na minha colecção…infelizmente não só! e com outra soberba encadernação, neste caso, de Riviere)

78. DICKENS, Charles. A Tale of Two Cities. London, 1859. Octavo, early 20th-century full tree calf gilt.

First edition, first issue, bound from parts, of Dickens’ second historical novel and one of his most enduring works—a powerful tale of self-sacrifice and rebirth against the backdrop of the French Revolution—handsomely bound by Riviere.

“Dickens had always admired Carlyle’s History of the French Revolution, and asked him to recommend suitable books from which he could researchthe period; in reply Carlyle sent him a ‘cartload’ of volumes… So great was [Dickens’] enthusiasm for the story that it had indeed ‘taken in possession’ of him… The force of the novel springs from its exploration of darkness and death but its beauty derives from Dickens’ real sense of transcendence, from his ability to see the sweep of destiny” (Ackroyd, 858). The last of Dickens’ books to be illustrated by H.K. Browne (“Phiz”), with 16 engraved plates by him. “Browne, for 23 years responsible for all the etchings which had som successfully embellished these [Dickens’] books, produced his last drawings for the present work” (Hatton & Cleaver, 333). First issue, with all first issue points. Originally published as a serial from June to December 1859. Original wrappers of Parts III and IV bound in at rear. Hatton & Cleaver, 333-42. Very minor dampstaining to one corner of plate at page 94, not affecting image, minor marginal paper restorations to page 99-100, minor rubbing to binding. A near-fine copy, handsomely bound.

(Embora já tenha visto exemplares em melhores condições, mesmo assim, este é bem apetecível, quanto mais não seja pelo seu encadernador)

E já que falamos de livros (para isso é que aqui estamos), por que não avaliarmos este exemplar, que não estando nos meus planos, não desenharia de o ter na minha biblioteca:

Beautifully Illustrated 1716 Judeo-Italian Haggadah, Printed In Venice.

85. HAGGADAH. Seder Haggadah shel Pesah. Venice, 1716. Folio, 19th-century Dutch marbled paper boards, custom clamshell box; ff. 25.

Beautifully illustrated 1716 Venice Haggadah, with Italian translation printed in Hebrew characters. Includes Leone Modena’s commentary (Tzli Esh), based on Isaac Abrabanel’s earlier commentary, Zevah Pesah.

This early 18th-century Venice Haggadah was printed in the esteemed tradition established in the same city in the previous century. “Among its visual highlights were a magnificent architectural border surrounding every page of text, woodcut initials enclosing miniature figures and scenes, and large woodcut illustrations placed at the top or bottom of almost every page… arranged into a meaningful biblical cycle that begins with Abraham and later focuses on the narratives actually recalled in the text of the Haggadah” (Yerushalmi). Includes the famous 13-panel illustration of the stages of the Seder, and the ten-panel depiction of the ten plagues, which became fixtures of illustrated Haggadahs after their first introduction in the 1609 Venice edition. Title page and each page throughout with decorative architectural woodcut border. Yaari 81. Yudlov 131. Most leaves remargined or repaired along edges, at times affecting decorative border and text (supplied in neat facsimile). A very good copy, an excellent example of the Venetian tradition.

A propósito deste título gostaria de vos sugerir a leitura deste livro moderno (que está incluido no Plano Nacional de Leitura: Livro recomendado para o 10º, 11º e 12º anos de escolaridade, destinado a leitura autónoma.):

BROOKS, Geraldine – As Memórias do Livro (People of the Book). Cruz Quebrada, Casa das Letras, 2008. 1ª edição portuguesa. 386 [1]pags. Brochura.

Inspirado numa história verídica, que se desenvolve em torno da história de uma Haggadah e descrevendo alguns dos principios da técnica de preservação (diferente da restauração) de um livro, As Memórias do Livro está repleto de inesquecíveis vozes do passado, mas é a voz de Hanna – controversa e contemporânea – que o converte numa leitura compulsiva que transcende os habituais limites da ficção histórica.

Sinopse: Em 1996, é oferecido a uma conservadora de livros raros o sonho de uma vida: a análise e conservação de um misterioso e magnificamente iluminado códice hebraico da Espanha do século XV e salvo da destruição durante o bombardeamento das bibliotecas de Serajevo. Quando Hanna descobre uma série de minúsculos artefactos na encadernação do livro – um fragmento de uma asa de insecto, manchas de vinho, pedras de sal, um cabelo branco – começa a aceder aos mistérios passados que envolveram o livro e a desvendar as histórias dramáticas daqueles que o criaram e que tudo fizeram para o proteger.

The Important 1662 Edition Of The Book Of Common Prayer,

In IntricatelyEmbroidered Contemporary Velvet Binding

Não gostaram das minhas escolhas? Excelente!

É precisamente por isso que existe o link para o catálogo, para que cada um possa fazer a sua leitura e escolhas pessoais, visto que as minhas são quase sempre o espelho dos meus gostos bibliófilos que serão seguramente diferentes de muitos dos vossos.

Bibliofilia é isso mesmo: pois que para além da paixão pelo livro, comum a todos nós, existe um projecto diferente, e bem personalizado, de cada um construir a sua biblioteca que vai redefinindo/aperfeiçoando ao longo do tempo e das suas experiências.

Saudações bibliófilas.