The Book Block :: Fine and Rare Books
NY Antiquarian Book Fair :: April 20 - 22, 2007

Six vols. 8vo. (5 7/8 x 4 inches), each bound in light-weight boards covered with ivory coated paper, onto which six highly decorative, hand-colored engravings have been printed—the title of the work and volume number placed within a gothic architectural framework—all housed in a paper-covered decorated box trimmed with ribbon-printed gold foil, the cover of which carries the hand-colored engraved general title. The box is slightly worn at the extremities and soiled; the six books are in REMARKABLY FINE condition. Each volume contains, in addition to the engraved color covers, a full-page, hand-colored (with added gold) plate of a medieval scene, with a protective tissue guard. The letterpress printing is the work of Firmin Didot. The entire production brought about by Valentin Lefuel whose firm flourished during the period 1806-1829 or 1830 in their premises on rue Saint-Jacques where they published almanacks, miniature books, religious books, among other works in elegant bindings. Jean-Pierre Bres, which may well be a nom de plume, is also the acknowledged author of another six volume set, Contes de Robert mon Oncle, published in Paris, chez Louis Janet, Libraire, during the same period. In that set—also similarly boxed—the smaller format books are bound in stiff, paper-covered, pink boards with blind embossing (See: Gumuchain 910). Our set is listed in Gumuchain as 911, and is rare in any condition.

4 3/8 inches high by 3 5/8 across; metal (tin?) frame and back, covered with glass, with a tin hanging device at the top. An elaborate and colorful, three-dimentional design, featuring a smaller oval watercolor portrait if the Virgin Mary standing before a grave, on which rests a skull. Her hands bear signs of the stigmata. The portrait is centered within an elaborate arch, formed by columns decorated with purple foil wrapped in silver. A second set of columns close to the outer edge of the reliquary completes two much narrower arches. The entire background of the arches is decorated with gold foil paper, rolled and scrolled to form loops and floral devices, many of which are filled with what looks like glass beads, resembling fresh water pearls. The names (printed on small banderolles) and “remains” of many of the Church’s most familiar Saints are strategically placed throughout the scene.

Reliquaries were receptacles that contain the relics of saints and other sacred objects of the Christian religion. These may be physical remains of the saints, such as bones or shreds of clothing, or some object associated with the saints or other holy figures. The authenticity of any given relic is often a matter of debate.

Sm. 4to. (7 7/8 x 5 1/2 inches), bound in modern citron morocco with a single blind fillet border on each cover; slightly rounded spine with the author's name in gilt at the top and the date at the bottom. Collation: A30 (lacking the final leaf containing the colophon, verso blank). A large copy with generous margins, partially washed and resized; the remains of pen trials faintly appear at the bottom of A6 verso and A7 recto. Leaf A29 verso lightly printed. Preserved in a half morocco clamshell case. There are three bookplates on the front pastedown from the library of the artist, Leonard Baskin; in the back he wrote in pencil that the book was bought at Sessler's [Phila.] in 1958. A very nice copy of a genuinely rare book.

Title within a pictorial woodcut border of astronomical motifs with the motto: QVISE HVMILI,/AT.EX ALTABITV. The plates in both the 1532 and this edition are printed from the woodblocks used for the first printings of the separate parts of Arrighi's manual, including the use of the earliest state of the "& accio che" block on A9. However the order of imposition differs from the editions printed in the 1520's. The book is gathered in one signature, the first 15 leaves are signed A1-A15. The italic types used by Zoppino in both of his editions include some of Arrighi's designs.

Little is know of the life of Arrighi , although it is said that he was a copier of briefs in the Papal chancery, a book copyist, a typeface designer, a publisher/printer of luxury books, and a letterer of maps. His last known book appeared in Rome in May 1527, one month before the sack of Rome, where his life probably ended. The two Zoppino editions are from the original woodblocks first published in 1522 and 1523 as La Operina and Il Modo de Temperare, which contain the earliest printed examples of what became known as chancery cursive writing. See: Bonacini 1968. Becker, D. The Practice of Letters. The Hofer Collection of Writing Manuals 1514-1800. No. 6. Barker, N. Early Italian Writing-Books. Renaissance to Baroque. by Stanley Morison. p. 175.

Oblong 4to. (9 x 14 3/8 inches), 19th century three-quarter mottled sheep over marbled sides; spine with five raised bands and elaborate gilt decoration within four of the compartments, the other two contain the gilt stamped title information on tan and green calf labels. Slight weakness in the front joint, but a very well preserved, complete copy of a book that often lacks the full complement of plates.

First edition in two parts, published three years apart, each part comprised of letterpress text and engraved plates, 28 in each part, the numbers running sequentially throughout. The plates, engraved by Heinrich Hugo Cöntgen, contain specimens of letters, alphabets with fanciful capital letters, geometrical diagrams, genealogical tables, calendars, drawing models (after Le Brun), and architectural orders. Plate 39 should be of particular interest to the artist, David Hockney, and readers of his newly published book; it shows two views of an artist's Camera Lucida focused on a landscape scene about to be blocked out. There are other scenes of artists at work, painting portraits and making silhouettes, and a number of architectural fantasies. A new printing of plates 1-45 only was published in Berlin and Cologne in 1827, entitled Kunst-schreib-und Zeichenbuch. von I. Merken. Neu Herausgegeben von Johann Heinrigs. See: Bonacini 1169. Becker, D. The Practice of Letters. 175. Doeds 213/1-2. Hauswedell 307.

Tall 8vo., contemporary three-quarter calf over paste-paper boards; title in gilt on the spine. FIRST EDITION. The work by Count Clarac (1777-1847) is devoted to the archeological remains of Pompei and includes fifteen engraved plates (many of them fold-outs), after his own drawings, engraved by F. Mori. The light foxing that touches some of the text does not affect the plates, whose subjects include architectural renderings, artifacts and inscriptions. We were unable to trace another copy of this work in auction records; there is one in Harvard's Houghton Library.

Tall 4to. (12 1/2 x 8 3/4 inches), contemporary vellum with ties (renewed), and new endleaves; title lettered on the spine. First Spanish edition. Notwithstanding the presence of the woodcut title-page from the Latin edition and one leaf substituted [A6] from the Italian edition, the text and collation conforms to the Fairfax Murray copy [No. 187] of the first Spanish edition. That Coppens also published editions in French, German, Italian and Latin  may account for the anomalies in our copy. In a cloth clam-shell case.

This book begins with one the most remarkable title-pages of the 15th century, an example of  Dutch mannerist ornamentation, executed in chiaroscurrtrait. It is followed by the Dedication to Philip II, the Prohemio de la obra, the Declaracion, and by 134 large (7 inches in diameter), medallion portraits of Roman and German emperors, all printed in chiaroscuro from blocks engraved and cut into wood by Josse Gietleughen after designs by the author. This splendid series of portraits, the first book to employ chiaroscuro woodcuts for illustration, were adapted after ancient coins by Hubert Goltzius (1526-1583). In those cases where he failed to find a satisfactory image as a model (fourteen Carolingian and Ottonian monarchs), Goltz decided instead to print a blank roundel accompanied by the appropriate text. The text in extremely erudite and is mostly concerned with the biographical data of the personalities depicted. The collation is: A, a-b, D-Z, Aa-Ee6, Ff-Gg4  (last blank, lacking) = 176 leaves, unnumbered. The paper used for the various editions of this work is invariably subject to discoloration and often the over-inked blocks have corroded the paper. Our copy has been carefully restored, including the repair of worm tracks and paper loss. Signatures. a & b should be marked B & C. They exactly imitate the same leaves in the 1557 Latin edition with the same blanks occurring, but with the following exceptions. No. 113 Charlemange and 131-132 (one portrait) Henry IV now supplied; the oval portrait of Philip and Maxmilian has disappeared, its place being taken by letterpress. Thus there is one more to add to those in the Latin edition, making 134 portraits in all. That of Ferdinand [155] is a new one; it is a bust only without crown, orb or scepter. The Spanish edition appears for sale far less frequently than the Latin, German, French and Italian editions. See: Fairfax Murray 187. Adams G840. Palau 103463.