Christie, Manson & Woods International Inc. (New York)

Two volumes (27 cm), I (4 June 1997): 265 (1) pp., illustrations (most in colour, some folding). Lots 1-160. Printed list of priced realised loosely inserted. II (5 June 1997): 191 (1) pp., illustrations (some in colour). Lots 161-691. Printed list of priced realised loosely inserted. Publisher’s pictorial wrappers. - The nucleus of this collection was assembled by Robert de Belder (1921-1995) over a period of some thirty years. After the De Belder collection was purchased by the booksellers Bernard Quaritch, in the mid-1980s, a selection including the most spectacular books was consigned to Sotheby’s (27-28 April 1987), and a substantial tranche was sold privately to Ladislaus von Hoffmann. At the Sotheby’s sale, Von Hoffman’s agent, Nico Israel, bought many valuable books in an attempt to preserve the integrity of the library. ¶ Unmarked copies, as new.