• Two volumes, 168 x 106 mm each, uniformly bound in faux mottled calf ruled in gilt, marbled endpapers. Vol. 1: 3 blank leaves of wove paper, 3 blank leaves of laid paper, half-title/blank, blank/frontispiece, ‘engraved’ t.p./blank, both printed on laid paper watermarked “ARCHES A LA | MAIN”; ‘letterpress’ t.p.,/blank, pp.: [1] 2-115 [116 blank], 3 blank leaves of laid paper, 3 blank leaves of wove paper; collated 12mo: π2 A-I6 K4; total 60 leaves plus 16 ‘engraved’ plates, incl. t.p. and frontis. Vol. 2: 3 blank leaves of wove paper, 3 blank leaves of laid paper, half-title/blank, blank/frontispiece, ‘engraved’ t.p./blank, no watermark, ‘letterpress’ t.p.,/blank, pp.: 1-77 [78 blank], 2 blank leaves of laid paper, 3 blank leaves of wove paper; collated 12mo: π2 A-F6 G3; total 41 leaves plus 24 ‘engraved’ plates, incl. t.p. and frontis. Dutel (I): A-1089, p. 325: in-8 (probably by size only, no formula suggested), pagination 115 and 77 as here, 2 frontispieces, 2 engraved titles dated 1873, “et 36 belles gravures de Binet”. Cohen-DeRicci: p. 734 bottom: in-12, no pagination, no formula. "Thérèse" was offered by a French seller user-75d14f4 on the online auction platform CATAWIKI in December 2021. The seller's description of this two-volume set was: "Re-edition, the date of which I was unable to determine. (London, no name, 1782) 2 duodecimo volumes of 115 and 77 pp., very lovely marbled sheepskin pastiche bindings, gilded triple fillets, adorned spines, black title labels. This classic of 18th-century clandestine erotica was written in 1748 by an author who has remained anonymous, attributed at the time to Montigny, which led to his internment in the Bastille. It is now attributed to the Jean-Baptiste de Boyer, Marquis d'Argens. Edition illustrated with 37 very unrestrained figures, engraved in intaglio after Borel, unsigned." I should have paid more attention to the first phase, about the re-edition, but I didn't. After a few bidding rounds, I won the book when the hammer price was 2,200 Euros. On the 28th of December, 2021, I paid for this little beauty $2,760. The book arrived a few days later.  The paper's quality and texture, the watermark, the absence of the platemark, and the lack of embossing on the back (text and plates) made me suspect it was a fake. The pages were absolutely flat to the touch!  I established clear evidence of a high-resolution 'xerox' copy using Celestron Micro Capture Pro micro-photography.  I wrote to the seller and the auction platform, explaining my doubts regarding its authenticity. To prove my point, I include a few micro photos of the "Thérèse" and some books printed at the end of the 18th century. I explained why I considered it a fake and requested a return/refund. After two months of email exchanges, the seller and the platform refused to pay me back. Today is the 2nd anniversary of the purchase. I still have the book. To celebrate my carelessness, I included it in my library to warn fellow book collectors about buying from an unknown dealer via certain online auction platforms. Ref.: Bamber Gascoigne. How to Identify Prints: A Complete Guide to Manual and Mechanical Processes from Woodcut to Ink. — Thames and Hudson, 1995.

    Thérèse philosophe, 1783.

    Late 18th century books

    Books used for comparison: [LIB-2743.2021] Restif de la Bretonne. Les parisiennes, ou XL caractères généraux pris dans les mœurs actuelles, propres à servir à l’instruction des personnes-du-sexe / 4 vol. — Neufchâtel, et Paris: Guillot, 1787. [LIB-3027.2022] [Héliodore d’Emèse]. Amours de Théagènes et Chariclée: Histoire Éthiopique / 2 vol. — Londres [i.e. Paris]: [s.n.], 1743. [LIB-3252.2023] [Nicolas Chorier.] Le Meursius françois, ou entretiens galans d’Aloysia, orné de figures. — Cythere [i.e. Paris: Cazin], 1782. Below is a Xerox copy for comparison.    
  • Half title: LA PUCELLE | D’ORLEANS.|| Title: LA PUCELLE | D’ORLEANS , | POEME , | DIVISÉ EN VINGT-UN CHANTS , AVEC | LES NOTES DE M. DE MORZA. | Nouvelle édition, corrigée, augmentée d'un Chant | entier, & de plusieurs morceaux répandus dans | le corps de l'ouvrage, avec les Variantes que | l'on a jointes à la fin de chaque Chant. | [ornament] | A LONDRES. |—| M. DCC. LXXV. || Pagination : [4] – two blank unnumbered fly leaves, [i,ii] – h.t. / double-ruled blank leaf, [2] – blank / frontispiece on verso, [iii, iv] – t.p. ruled and bordered / double-ruled blank leaf, [v]vi-viii – table, ix-xv – preface, [xvi] – double-ruled blank leaf, [1]2-447 [448] – double-ruled blank leaf, [2] – two blank unnumbered fly leaves; page 14 misnumbered 18; title within ornamental border; text within double-ruled borders; head- and tail-pieces; 22 leaves of plates (frontis. + one before each chant.) Collation: 8vo; a8 A-Z8 Aa-Ee8 Binding: 19.9 x 13.2 cm; full contemporary brown calf, blind ruled plates, spine with raised bands, gilt-ruled and tooled in compartments, red label with gilt lettering, all edges red; plate for chant 6, H4, H5 - separated from the block. De Morza is Voltaire (Cf. Quérard, v. 10, p. 306). Engravings unsigned; attributed to Desrais, Claude-Louis (French, 1746 – 1816). False imprint; possibly printed in Paris.
  • Two volumes in-16o, 16.3 x 10.3 cm, uniformly bound in marbled calf with gilt triple-fillet border, flat spine with gilt lozenges in compartments, two crimson labels with gilt lettering, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, with engraved title, 2 title vignettes, 11 copper plate engravings, incl. title/frontispiece in vol. 1, and 10 headpieces (two of them similar), printed on laid paper. Vol. 1: Livres 1 – 5. Engraved title-page: Cartouche with the title "Les | Amours de | THEAGENES | & | CHARICLÉE", with a Cupid holding a torch on top and a defeated winged dragon at the bottom; Cupid's quivers with bows and arrows beside. Collation: 8vo; a5 (t.p., preface), A-N8 O4 (O4 blank), total 113 leaves plus 6 unsigned engraved plates, incl. engraved title as frontispiece, unsigned; 5 different headpieces, unsigned. Pagination: [i, ii] iii-x, [1] 2-213 [3] (blank), total 226 pages, ils. Vol. 2: Livres 6 – 10. Collation: 8vo; π1 (t.p.), A-M8, total 97 leaves plus 6 unsigned plates, incl. the Conclusion, no frontispiece; 5 headpieces, the headpiece for Livre 7 similar to Livre 4. Pagination: [2] [1] 2-190 [2] (blank), total 194 pages, ils. Letterpress title-page (red and black) in each volume: AMOURS | DE | THEAGÉNES | ET | CHARICLÉE• | HISTOIRE ETHIOPIQUE. | PREMIERE (SECONDE) PARTIE. | {vignette} | A LONDRES, | — | M. DCC. XLIII. || According to Cohen-DeRicci, this is the first anonymous edition with 9 different headpieces; the second edition in the same 1743 was published by Antoine Urban Coustelier (French, 1714 – 1763) in Paris with less provocative headpiece vignettes. The original text belongs to Héliodore d'Emèse, i.e. Heliodorus [Ἡλιόδωρος] (Greek, 3rd – 4th century AD). The earliest translation into French was performed by Jacques Amyot (French, 1513 – 1593) and published by J. Longis in Paris in 1547. The new translation is credited by Lewine to Jean de Montlyard (French/Swiss, 17th century), first published in Paris in 1620. However, most scholars attribute it to Louis François de Fontenu (French, 1667 – 1759), Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle (French, 1657 – 1757) or Germain François Poullain de Saint-Foix (French, 1698 – 1776), first published in 1727 by Herman Uytwerf (Dutch, 1698 – 1754) in Amsterdam. Catalogue raisonné : J. Lewine, 236; Cohen-DeRicci, 478. Information about the story can be found here: Aethiopica.  
  • GALIANI, Ferdinando, Abbé. Dialogue sur le commerce des bleds. Londres, 1770. L'Abbé Roubaud, Pierre Joseph André. Récréations économiques ou lettres de l'auteur des représentations aux magistrats, a M. le chevalier Zanobi, principal interlocuteur des Dialogues sur le commerce des bleds; Amsterdam & Paris, Delalain, 1770. Béguillet, Edme. De principiis vegetationis et agreculturae et de causis triplicis culturae in Burgundia disquisitio physica. Auctore E.B.D. ex Societate Œconomica Lugdunensi; Divione, 1768.

  • Vol. 1. Title : VOYAGES | ET MÉMOIRES | DE | MAURICE-AUGUSTE, | COMTE DE BENYOWSKY, | Magnat des Royaumes d’Hongrie et de | Pologne, etc. etc. | Contenant ses Opérations militaires en | Pologne, son exil au Kamtchatka, son Evasion | et son Voyage à travers l’Océan pacifique, au | Japon, à Formose, à Canton en Chine, et | les détails de l’Etablissement qu’il fut chargé | par le Ministère François de former à Mada- | gascar. | TOME PREMIER. | A PARIS, Chez F. Buisson, Imprimeur-Libraire, rue | Hautefeuille, no 20. | (1791.) Pagination : [2] – h.t. / blank, [2] – t.p. / blank, [i] ii-viii, [1] 2-466. Collation: 8vo; [π]2 a4, A-Ff8 Gg1. Vol. 2. Title: Similar, but TOME SECOND. Pagination: [2] – h.t. / blank, [2] – t.p. / blank, [1] 2-486. Collation: 8vo; [π]2 A-Gg8 Hh3, Hh3 unsigned. Binding: both volumes uniformly bound in half brown calf over speckled beige boards, crimson label with gilt lettering to flat spine, volume number in garland, florets in compartments. Bookplate to front pastedown: "C. De Oetting." Ink stamp to t.p.: "Oettingen-Wallersteinsche Bibliothek". Provenance:  Oettingen-Wallerstein library (Oettingen-Wallersteinsche Bibliothek) is the former library of the princes of Oettingen-Wallerstein, now part of the collection of Augsburg University library.
  • Hardcover volume, 12mo, 125 x 85 mm, two parts in one, bound and gilded by Cuzin and Maillard, respectively, between 1876 and 1881, in crimson crushed morocco with raised bands and gilt lettering to spine, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, gilt dentelle, signed 'Cuzin' to foot of front turn-in and 'Maillard dor.' to rear. Adorned with engraved frontispiece and 12 plates by Elluin after Borel. Text printed on a slightly bluish paper. Title-page: LE | MEURSIUS FRANÇOIS, | OU | ENTRETIENS GALANS | D'ALOYSIA. | ORNÉ | DE FIGURES. | — | TOME PREMIER (SECOND) | — | ✵ | A CYTHERE | — | M. DCC. LXXXII. || Collation: 12mo, π4 (2 blanks) A-Z6 χ1,+ π2 A-S6 (4 blanks) χ1, total 254 leaves; pagination: [8] [1] 2-277 [278 blank], [4] [1] 2-210 [8 blanks], total 508 pages, plus 13 engraved plates, incl. frontispiece. Catalogue raisonné: Cohen-de Ricci 240; Eros invaincu 17; Fekete 51; Nordmann (I) 91. Contributors: Nicolas Chorier (French, 1612 – 1692) – author. Antoine Borel (French, 1743 – 1810) – artist. François-Rolland Elluin (French, 1745 – c. 1822) – engraver. Hubert-Martin Cazin (French, 1724 – 1795) – publisher. Francisque Cuzin (French, 1836 – 1890) – bookbinder. Seller’s description: Erotica.- [Chorier (Nicolas)]Le Meursius François, ou Entretiens galans d'Aloysia, 2 parts in 1, half-title to each part, engraved frontispiece and 12 plates [by Elluin after Borel], handsomely bound in crimson crushed morocco by Cuzin, spine with gilt lettering and five raised bands, gilt tooled turn-ins by Maillard, signed 'Cuzin' to foot of front turn-in and 'Maillard dor.' to rear, marbled endpapers, g.e., fractional rubbing to extremities, an excellent copy, 12mo, Cythere [but Paris], [Cazin], 1782.
  • Les Aventures de Télémaque, fils d'Ulysse, Par feu Messire François de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon, Précepteur de Messeigneurs les Enfants de France, & depuis Archevêque - Duc de Chabray, Prince du Saint-Empire Romain, &c. / Nouvelle édition enrichie de figures en taille-douce. – À Maestricht, Chez J. E. Dufour & Ph. Roux, Imprimeurs-Libraires associés. M. DCC. LXXXII. Pagination: ffl, [i, ii - ht, explication] [2 - blank, frontis. portrait] [iii, iv - t.p., blank] [v - discours] vi-xxviii, [1] 2-484, bfl; 1 folding map and 24 plates engraved by Jean-Baptiste-Pierre Tardieu. Size: 8vo, 21 x 13 cm. Binding: full contemporary mottled calf, marbled end-papers, all margins red, raised bands, floral gilt elements in compartments, red title label, head- and tail-band absent. Point of issue: the vignette in Liv. 1 is upsidedown. Liv. 1 & 8 plates signed: Gravé par Tardieu résident à Malines. Jean Baptiste Pierre Tardieu (French, 1746 – 1816) - engraver and cartographer from a large family of artists and engravers. For English translation of this book see № LIB-2683-2021 in this collection.  
  •   Title-page: FABLES | NOUVELLES. | {vignette by Ponce after Marillier} | A LA HAYE, | Et se trouve a Paris, | Chez Delalain, rue de la Comédie Françoise. | — | M. DCC. LXXIII. || Collation: 2 volumes (4 livres) in one, 1st blank, engraved t.p. “FABLES | Par | Mr. Dorat.” signed C. P. Marillier, inv. – E. D. Ghendt Sculp. 1772; a-c4, A-Z4 2A-2Q4, last blank, plus engraved frontispiece before A1 by Nicolas Delaunay and engraved d.t.p. before Z1: “Fables | de M. Dorat | II. Volume” also by Ghendt after Marillier., 99 vignettes and 99 tailpieces, all after Marillier. Lacking Delaunay frontispiece for the second volume (similar to the 1st). Edition: This is a vol. 1 176 pp. copy (Ray, 43). 2nd edition after Fables ou allégories philosophiques, 1772, p. 162 corrected: “Je sais , même au sein des poisons / Puiser le suc qui m'est utile”. Page xxii numbered correctly; on top of p. iii, printed a chain instead of a triple fillet in later issues (Ray, 43A). Pagination: [i, ii] iii-xxii, [2 d.t.p. «Livre premier»] [1] 2-309 [3 table], 3 plates. Binding: Crimson crashed morocco (198 x 133 mm) ruled in gilt, spine with raised bands gilt in compartments with gilt-lettered cream calf label, gilt dentelle inside, marbled endpapers, Pauli Menso bookplate pasted to front pastedown, printed on laid paper, AEG. Catalogue raisonné: Cohen-DeRicci: 313-315; Ray (French): № 43, pp. 81-83. Provenance: Pauli Menso. We only present a sample of illustrations, as their total number is enormous. Contributors: Author: Claude Joseph Dorat (French, 1734–1780) Publisher: Delalain (firm) (18th century) Artist: Clément Pierre Marillier (French, 1740–1808) Engravers: Jean Charles Baquoy (French, 1721–1777) Nicolas Delaunay (French, 1739–1792) Pierre Duflos (French, born in 1751) Emmanuel Jean Nepomucène de Ghendt (Flemish, worked in France, 1738–1815) Yves-Marie Le Gouaz (French, 1742–1816) Pierre Adrien Le Beau (French, 1748–after 1800) Jean-Jacques André Le Veau (French, 1729–1786) Charles Louis Lingée (French, 1748–1819) Joseph de Longueil (French, 1730–1792) Louis Legrand (French, 1723–1807) Jacques Le Roy (French, born in 1739) Louis Joseph Masquelier (French, 1741–1811) François Denis Née (French, 1735–1818) Nicholas Ponce (French, 1746–1831) Marguerite (Hémery) Ponce (French, born in 1745) Jean Baptiste Simonet (French, 1742–1813)
  • LA PUCELLE | D'ORLÉANS, | POËME HÉROÏ-COMIQUE, | EN DIX-HUIT CHANTS. |{vignette}| A GENEVE. | M. DCC.LXXXVIII.|| Pagination: engraved frontis., engraved portrait, [1, 2] – t.p. / blank, [3] 4-304; plates: engraved frontispiece, engraved portrait of Jeanne d'Arc and 18 engraved plates (the so-called 'suite anglaise' by Marillier, Clément-Pierre (French, 1740 – 1808) after Duflos, Pierre (French, 1742 – 1816). Publisher: Cazin, Hubert-Martin (French, 1724 – 1795). Modern binding to imitate full mottled calf of the 18th century, gilt double-ruled boards, gilt decorated spine with the crimson label “LA PUCELLE”, AEG, laid paper. Size: 13.3 x 8.7 cm; 18mo. Catalogue raisonné: Cohen, De Ricci 1032 (for 1777 and 1780 editions). J. Lewine p.559 (for 1777 16mo and even 12mo editions). The 'correct' 1st thus edition is called suite anglaise because instead of 'chant number' it's printed 'book number' on top of the pages. This copy is definitely a later pirated edition.
  • Description: Two volumes, 16.5 x 11 cm, collated 8vo, uniformly bound in the mid-19th century by H. Stamper (stamp to verso free endpaper) in red Morocco, ornated with gilt fillets and dentelles to boards and turn-ins, spine with raised bands and gilt decorations and lettering in compartments, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt; printed on laid paper; bookplate to front pastedown “EX LIBRIS | DANIEL | BERDITCHEVSKY”. Title-page (red and black, tall ‘s’): LES CENT | NOUVELLES | NOUVELLES. | SUIVENT LES CENT NOUVELLES | CONTENANT | Les Cent Histoires Nouveaux, | Qui sont moult plaisans a raconter, | En toutes bonnes Compagnies, | Par MANIERE DE JOYEUSETÉ. | Avec d'excellentes Figures en Taille-douce, | Gravées sur les desseins du fameux Mr. | ROMAIN DE HOOGE | & retouchées par feu | B. PICART LE ROMAIN | TOME PREMIER (TOME SECOND) |{device} | A COLOGNE | Chez Pierre Gaillard. | M.DCCXXXVI. || Vol. 1: Collation: [1] flyleaf torn out, [1] frontispiece, [1] title-page, [3] preface (*2-4), [1] Auertissement, [10] table (2+**-**8), A-Bb8 (Bb8 blank); 45 in-text half-page copperplate etchings by various engravers after Romain de Hooge; total 215 leaves plus ffl and frontispiece by Gilliam van der Gouwen after Romain de Hooge. Pagination (starting from t.p.): [30] 1-397 [398] [2], total 430 pages. Vol. 2: Collation: ffl, [*1] t.p., [11] table (*2-8, **-4), A-Aa8 Bb4 (Bb4 blank); 55 in-text half-page copperplate etchings by various engravers after Romain de Hooge; total 208 leaves plus ffl. Pagination: [24] 1-389 [390] [2], total 416 pages. Catalogue raisonné: Landwehr (1970) № 94, p. 203; Lewine (1898) p. 326; Cohen-DeRicci (1912) p. 658. Landwehr cites two editions after the 1st of 1701: Amsterdam 1732 and Cologne 1786 [i.e. 1736]. Both Lewine and Cohen-DeRicci attribute the text to Louis XI and mention the 1736 reprint (though not 1786). The first edition of “Les cent nouvelles nouvelles” appeared in 1486 by commission of Duke of Burgundy Philippe le Bon; the text is attributed to Philippe Pot (1428 – 1493), Antoine de La Sale (c. 1385 – c. 1460) or King Louis XI (1423 – 1483). Contributors: Artists: Romain de Hooge (Dutch, 1645 – 1708) Bernard Picart (French, 1673 – 1733) Engravers: Gilliam van der Gouwen (Dutch, c. 1657 – 1716) (frontispiece) Laurens Scherm (Dutch, fl. 1689 – 1701) (nouvelles XXIX, XXX, LXXVII) Jan Van Vianen (Dutch, c.1660 – 1726?) (nouvelles L, LII, LVII-LX, LXIV-LXVII, LXX) Binder: Henry Stamper (British, 1802? – 1887) Commissioner: Philippe le Bon [Philip III] (French, 1396 – 1467) Publisher: Pierre Gaillard (French, fl. 1715 – 1737)
  • The Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain Engraven By Mr. Houbraken And Mr. Vertue. With Their Lives And Characters by Thomas Birch, A.M.F.R.S. Two Volumes in One. Published for John and Paul Knapton, London, 1747. 108 engraved portraits.

  • Four-volume edition with 6+4+5+5 = 20 plates. Vol. 1 : Title page, in double-border, within rules; accents as per original, with tall «s»: Les | Parisiennes, | ou | XL caractères generaux | Pris dans les Mœurs actuelles, | Propres à servir à l'instruction | des personnes-du-sexe : | Tirés des memoires du nouveau Lycée-des-mœurs. | I Volume : Les jeunes-filles, | & les filles-à-marier. | A Neufchâtel , | Et se trouve à Paris. | Chéz Guillot, libraire de Monsieur, rue | S.-Jacques, vis-à-vis celle des Mathurins. | 1787. Pagination : [1-5] 6-300, plus 6 etched/engraved plates w/guard tissue after Louis Binet (French, 1744 – about 1800). Collation: 12mo; A14 B-M12 N4; first 6 leaves in gatherings B to M signed, with exceptions: A1,2 unsigned, A3-8 signed, A9-14, D5, N3,4 unsigned. Vol. 2: Title page: Text above the first rule similar; below: II Volume : Les N.lles–mariées : | Les Mariées depuis 3 ans. | A Neufchâtel , | Et se trouve à Paris. | 1787. Pagination : [1-3] 4-388, plus 4 plates. Collation: 12mo; A8 B-Q12 R6; A1,5-8, R4-6 unsigned. Vol. 3: Title page: Text above the first rule similar; below: III Volume : Les epouses | à imiter : à— suir | A Neufchâtel , | Et se trouve à Paris. | 1787. Pagination: [1-3] 4-392, plus 5 plates. Collation: 12mo, A4 B-R12; A1,3,4, G4, N4,6, O5 unsigned. Vol 4: Title page: Text above the first rule similar; below: IV Volume : Les J.nes-Mères, | &—de grands-enfans. | A Neufchâtel , | Et se trouve à Paris. | 1787. Pagination: [1-3] 4-380 [4], plus 5 plates. Collation: A-Q12; A1 unsigned. Binding: later (c. 1875 – 1885) uniform binding of all four volumes in motley 'percaline anglaise' (buckram) with black gilt-lettered labels to spine, marbled endpapers; printed on laid paper; armorial bookplate of Masséna engraved by Stern to front pastedown. Provenance: Library of Masséna; Victor Masséna, duc de Rivoli, prince d'Essling (French, 1836 – 1910) [photo]. Catalogue Raisonné: P.-L. Jacob, 1875: № XXXII, pp. 247-250. P. L. Jacob. Bibliographie et iconographie de tous les ouvrages de Restif de la Bretonne. — Paris: A. Fontaine, 1875. [LIB-2634.2021]. Contributors: Nicolas Edmé Restif de la Bretonne (French, 1734 – 1806) – text. Louis Binet (French, 1744 – c. 1800) – illustrations. Sources: MFA: ACCESSION NUMBER 37.1667a-b lacking one plate in vol. 4. Collation: 12mo, 4 vols. in 2; [v. 1] 150 leaves, plus 6 plates; [v. 2] 194 ll., plus 4 pls.; [v. 3] 196 ll., plus 5 pls.; [v. 4] 192 ll., plus 4 [of 5] pls. BNF Identifier ark:/12148/bpt6k1050366b. Collation: 4 vol. (300; 388; 392; 380 p., XX f. de pl.) : ill. ; in-12
  • Full Title: THE | ORIGIN AND PROGRESS | OF | WRITING, | AS WELL HIEROGLYPHIC AS ELEMENTARY, | ILLUSTRATED BY ENGRAVINGS TAKEN FROM | MARBLES, MANUSCRIPTS AND CHARTERS, | ANCIENT AND MODERN. | ALSO, | SOME ACCOUNT OF THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF PRINTING. | – | By THOMAS ASTLE, Esq. F.R.S. F.S.A. and | Keeper of the RECORDS in the Tower of LONDON. | – | LONDON: | Printed for the AUTHOR; | Sold by T. PAYNE and SON, B. White, P. Elmsly, G. Nicol, | and LEIGH and SOTHEBY. | M DCC LXXXIV. Pagination: ffl [i, ii] - t.p., blank, [iii, iv] - dedication, blank, [v] vi, vii - contents, [viii] - blank; [i] -xxv - introduction, [xxvi] blank; 1 - of the origin and progress... - 235 [236] blank (229-235 additions and corrections); on p. 235 imprint: FROM THE PRESS OF J. NICHOLS, MDCCLXXXIV; bfl; 31 plates: op. p. 64 (folding), 66, 70, 72 (2), 76, 80 (2, on recto and verso), 82 (2, on recto and verso), 84, 92, 94, 96 (folding), 98 (folding), 100, 102, 104 (folding), 106 (folding), 108 (folding), 112 (folding), 128 (folding), 140 (2, on recto and verso), 142, 146, 150 (folding), 158, 160, 176, 178, folding platessigned "B. T. Pouncy". Collation: [A4] a–c4 π1 B-Z4 Aa-Ff4 Gg2 Hh4. Size: 4to, 29.1 x 24.3 cm. Binding: contemporary full polished brown calf professionally re-backed, single-fillet gilt border to covers, raised bands, black title label with gilt lettering and gilt fillets, gilt year lettering to bottom. Printed on laid paper, margins marbled. Bookplates: "Alex-r Carlile" to front pastedown, "Nicholas Wall. Sometime his book" to back pastedown. To front pastedown: pencil inscriptions and pasted clipping about the book.
  • Title-page: LUKAS ROTGANS | POËZY, | VAN VERSCHEIDE | MENGELSTOFFEN; | MET KONSTPLAATEN VERSIERT. | Tweede Druk | {vignette} | TE AMSTERDAM; | By ANTONI SCHOONENBURG, 1735. || Collation: 4to; fep, 1st blank, engraved t.p. by M. Pool, t.p., *3,4; 2*-9*4, 10*1, *LII2, *LII, 10*2 —> *-10*4 (40 leaves);  A-Z4, 2A-2Z4, 3A-3Z4, 4A-4Q4, last blank, fep; (340 leaves), 2 plates extraneous to collation. Pagination: [2] [1-5] 6-14 [15-80] [1-3] 4-680 [2], 2 unsigned plates not included in pagination after pp. 634 and 652, 50 headpieces by Jacob Folkema after Arnold Houbraken, and 2 tailpieces by Jan de Ruijter. Marks: Armorial bookplate: “Ex Libris J. J. Mak | {coat of arms} | Inveni Intermanere Melius”. Oval ink stamp: “HOOGERE BURGERSCHOOL. | DELFT” Provenance: Johannes Jacobus Mak (Dutch, 1908 – 1975). Edition: 2nd, 1st edition published in 1715 in Leeuwarden by François Halma. Contributors: Lukas Rotgans (Dutch, 1653 – 1710) – author. Arnold Houbraken (Dutch, 1660 – 1719) – artist. Jacob Folkema (Dutch, 1692 – 1767) – engraver. Matthijs Pool (Dutch, 1676 – 1740) – engraver. Jan de Ruijter (Dutch, 1688 – 1744) – engraver. Antoni Schoonenburg (Dutch, 1682 – 1754) – publisher.
  • Engraved title:

    Upper frame: ALMANACH | ICONOLOGIQUE, | OU | DES ARTS | pour l'année | 1764. | Orné de Figures | avec leurs explications | par | M. GRAVELOT. | avec Priv. du Roy | A PARIS

    Lower frame: Chez Lattré Graveur rue S. Jacq. | à la Ville de Bordeaux.

    Under the frame: H. Gravelot del. — L. Legrand sc.

    28 leaves, of them: engraved t.p., engraved frontis., and 12 plates, text engraved. Pages numbered 1-12, and I-XII (incorrectly marked XVI), other unpaginated, unbound tissue guards. Size: 10.6 x 7.2 cm, full polished crimson calf w/veins, triple-ruled in gilt with florets in corners, flat spine, double-ruled in gilt, all edges gilt. Florets in compartments, black title label with gilt lettering “ALM | ICON ||”, peacock marbled endpapers, blue silk ribbon. Approbation dated 15 November 1763, as some plates.

    Catalogue raisonné: Cohen, De Ricci 454.

  • One volume, 22.8 x 15.5 cm, bound in full mottled calf, gilt floral frames to covers, raised bands and gilt fleurons to spine, printed on laid paper. Regarding Pygmalion, scène lyrique see: Wekipedia. Collation: Free endpaper and two blank flyleaves, [2] engraved title, [2] préface, 1-18 (Pygmalion), [2] f.t.p., [1] 2-8 (Idylle), two blank flyleaves and free endpaper; 20 leaves total, adorned with 7 headpieces and 1 tailpiece engraved by Nicolas de Launay, Nicolas Ponce and Charles Etienne Gaucher after Jean Michel Moreau the Younger and Clément Pierre Marillier; text engraved by Droüet. Title-page: PYGMALION, | SCENE LYRIQUE | DE MR. J. J. ROUSSEAU, | Mise en Vers | par MR. Berquin. | Le Text Gravé par Droüet | PARIS | 1775. || (on a column under two kissing doves and sculptor’s tools). Faux t.p.: IDYLLE | Par MR. Berquin. | — | Eructavit cor meum verbum bonum ; | dico ego opera mea regi. | Psalm. 44. | — || (in rules). Catalogue raisonné: Cohen-DeRicci 141 ; Lewine 55. Ref.: MFA (Boston); MET (NY); Yale University Library. Contributors: Artists: Jean-Michel Moreau le Jeune (French, 1741–1814) Clément Pierre Marillier (French, 1740–1808) Engravers: Nicolas Delaunay (French, 1739–1792) Charles-Étienne Gaucher (French, 1741–1804) Nicholas Ponce (French, 1746–1831) Droüet (French, 18th century) Authors: Arnaud Berquin (French, 1747–1791) Jean-Jacques Rousseau (French, 1712–1778)
  • Phaedri, Aug. Liberti Fabularum Aesopiarum libri V / notis illustravit in usum serenissimi principis Nassavii David Hoogstratanus. Accedunt ejusdem opera duo indices, quorum prior est omnium verborum, multo quam antehac locupletior, posterior eorum, quae observatu digna in notis occurunt. — Amstelaedami : Ex Typographia Francisci Halmae, MDCCI [1701]. — pp.: [1] title, [1] (portr.), [32] 160, [84], 18 leaves of plates. Vita Phaedri is written by Johannes Schefferus (February 2, 1621 – March 26, 1679). Appendix fabularum is written by Marquard Gude (Gudius) (1 February 1635 – 26 November 1689). Gaius Julius Phaedrus was a 1st-century CE Roman fabulist and the first versifier of a collection of Aesop's fables into Latin. David van Hoogstraten (Rotterdam, March 14, 1658 - Amsterdam, November 21, 1724), a physician, poet and linguist, annotated the fables and dedicated them to Johan Willem Friso van Oranje-Nassau (14 August 1687 – 14 July 1711). The book was published in Amsterdam by François Halma (Langerak, January 3, 1653 - Leeuwarden, January 13, 1722), a Dutch printer, publisher and bookseller, with a portrait of Prince of Orange-Nassau, engraved by Pieter van Gunst (Dutch, Amsterdam 1659–1724) after Bernard Vaillant (Dutch, Lille 1632–1698 Leyden). The title page was engraved by P. Boutats after Jan Goeree (Dutch, Middelburg 1670–1731 Amsterdam). The edition is adorned throughout with 18 plates, each with 8 médaillons, designed and engraved by Jan van Vianen (Dutch, 1660–1726), and with vignettes, head- and tailpieces, inhabited initials, etc. Contemporary vellum over boards, title in red and back, red edges, 4to, 26 x 20 cm. Seller's description:
    4to, engraved general title, letterpress red & black title page with allegorical engraved vignette. 18 full-page copper-engraved plates by Jan van Vianen, each featuring six circular images, and 38 in-text reproductions, engraved decorative initials, and head- and tailpieces. Phaedrus (15 BC - 50 AD, Italy), was a "Roman fabulist, the first writer to Latinize whole books of fables, producing free versions in the iambic metre of Greek prose fables then circulating under the name of Aesop." (Ency. Brit.). This deluxe edition was specially created for the Prince of Nassau, profusely illustrated with fine engravings. Dibdin spoke highly of it in his Greek and Latin Classics (4th edition): "I have always considered this as a correct and very sumptuous edition. It is ornamented with a great number of small plates, or medallions, in which the subject of the fable is very ably and spiritedly executed.
    Ref.: Metropolitan Museum; Musée Médard      
  • Erasmus. The praise of folly / Translated by White Kennett. — London: Stephen Austen, 1726. Title page in black and red: MORIÆ ENCOMIUM: | OR, THE | PRAISE | OF | FOLLY. |—| Written in Latin by | ERASMUS. |—| Translated into English by | WHITE KENNETT, | Lord Bishop of Peterborough; | With a PREFACE by his Lordship. |—| Adorn’d with | A great Number of COPPER PLATES | neatly engraven: To which is added, the Effigies of | ERASMUS, and Sir THOMAS MORE, from | theDesigns of the celebrated HANS HOLBEINE. |—| (in gothic letters) The Fourth Edition. |—| LONDON: | Printed for Stephen Austen, at the Angel in | St. Pauls’ Church-yard. 1726. || Pagination: modern endpapers and flyleaves, [2] – blank / frontis. (engraved portrait of Erasmus, [2] – t.p. in black and red with George Cruikshank’s signature in the bottom, dated 1876 / blank, [14] – to the reader, i-xiv – commendatory verses, [2] – John Wilford advert., folding portrait of Thomas More, i-v, [vi] - epistle, 1-168 – panegyrick, [4] – index.; 46 copper-engraved illustrations after Hans Holbein the Younger; pp. 17-20 detached. Collation: 12mo; π2 A6, a-b6, B-P6 Q2 (B3 unsigned), 13 in-text engravings + 26 plates + 7 folding plates; total 106 leaves and 33 plates, extraneous to collation. Edition: 4th, thus. Binding: 16.5 x 10.5 cm; rebacked with a modern spine, modern endpapers and flyleaves, contemporary boards sprinkled and tooled in a style of Cambridge panel. Provenance: Cruikshank, George (British, 1792 – 1878) [1876]; Stephen Whitehead (Oakland, CA) [2021]. Catalogue raisonné: J. Lewine (1898) p. 171 — 1st edition thus of 1709, in-8vo, with portrait and 46 plates after Holbein. Contributors: Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (Dutch, c. 1469 – 1536) – author of the original text in Latin.

    White Kennett (British, 1660 – 1728) – translator from Latin into English.

    Hans Holbein the Younger (German, 1497/8 – 1543) – artist.

    Stephen Austen (fl. c. 1727 – 1746) – publisher. Linked items: Engraved portrait of Erasmus of Rotterdam in an octagonal frame, 1757 by Flipart after Holbein.

    Эразм Роттердамский. Похвальное слово глупости. — М.-Л.: Academia, 1932.