Antiquariaat FORUM BV – eCatalogue: The 17th century

Laurens Hesselink da Antiquariaat FORUM BV apresentou um novo eCatalogue, contendo 20 livros raros, manuscritos, mapas e panfletos produzidos no século XVII.

Este inclui obras sobre o Brasil, caligrafia, cartografia, literatura, viagens, história marítima, medicina, Médio Oriente, etc.

eCatalogue: The 17thcentury

Deste conjunto, pela excelente encadernação e pela alta qualidade das ilustrações destaco este livro:

[PRAYERBOOK - BINDING]

Le tableau de la croix representé dans les ceremonies de la Ste. Messe ensemble la tresor de la devotion aux soufrances de N[ot]re. S[eigneur]. I[esus]. C[hrist]. le tout enrichi de belles figures. 4 750 €

Paris, Francois Mazot, "1651" (privilege dated 20 September 1652). 8vo & small 4to (16.5 x 11.5 cm). With engraved title-page and 48 engraved leaves by Guillaume de Gheyn, J. Collin, and J. Durant.

Later 17th-century French red morocco, elaborately gold-tooled with pointillé tools in a panel design with 2 roll borders and hundreds of impression of numerous tools, the 6 spine compartments gold-tooled, gilt edges.

First edition of a wholly engraved prayer book. The first part depicts moments in the celebration of the Holy Mass with scenes from the life of Christ, with on the opposite pages prayers in Latin and French adorned with portraits of saints and small flowers, insects and birds, followed by a Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus, and a Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, both with a portrait. The last part includes 7 psalms illustrated with scenes from the life of David, preceded by a portrait of David surrounded by events from his life with "Histoire de David" on a banderol.

The binding is a fine example of French "pointillé" tooling. This luxurious style of finishing, consisting of dotted lines and curves, was introduced in France in the third decade of the 17th century and was used by many masterly gilders, the most famous of whom was known as "Le Gascon", a mysterious binder whose identity remains obscure.

The present copy comes from the library of the 19th-century collector Henry Perkins, whose collection "was in certain respects the most valuable ever brought together" (Quaritch). The library was sold at auction in 1873.

With the armorial bookplate of Willes Nevin on front pastedown and owner's inscriptions of Henry Perkins, Willis Nevin ("July 1873 / Bought from Pickering who bought it at the Perkins sale of books"), and Ernest Geldart ("1877"). Name below the dedication struck through. Spine and board edges skilfully repaired (possibly to obscure the removal of 2 clasps). A very good copy in a luxurious binding.

Durportal, Livres à figures, pp. 244-245; The Perkins Library 254; for the binding: Davauchelle, La reliure en France I, pp. 134-144; for Perkins: Quaritch (ed.), Dictionary of Book Collectors, p. 222.

Espero que a escolha seja do vosso agrado.

Saudações bibliófilas e votos de um bom fim-de-semana.