Two volumes (28 cm), xvii (3), 390 (2); iv, 494, (2) pp., profusely illustrated. Uniform contemporary French quarter-leather bindings, marbled page-edges. - Second, revised edition (original edition Paris: Librairie Bachelin-Deflorenne, 1870-1873). B.H. Breslauer, The Uses of bookbinding literature (New York 1986), p.17. ¶ From the auction sale of the Handbibliothek of the art-dealer Walter Bornheim (1888-1971), conducted by F. Zisska & R. Kistner, Munich, 27-28 March 1984, lot 2036. Attractive copy.
(33 cm), (2) vii (1), 416 pp., with 32 plates (1 folding), text illustrations. Title-page printed in red & black with ornament in colours. Contemporary morocco-backed marbled boards. - “An alphabetical list of binders, with an étude sur les styles de reliure, 185 pages, based on original research and much more scientific than most work of that period” (G.D. Hobson, “Books on Bookbinding” in The Book-collector’s Quarterly, volume 7, July-September 1932, p.72). The “Biographie critique” (pp.[189]-406) includes notices of writers on bookbinding. “Cet ouvrage a été tiré à six cent cinquante exemplaires numérotés, savoir 20 exemplaires sur papier des manufactures impériales du Japon [numbered from] 1 à 20; 80 exemplaires sur papier vélin du Marais [numbered from] 21 à 100; 550 exemplaires sur beau papier vélin mécanique [numbered from] 101 à 650. Les cent premiers exemplaires ont été tirés sur format in-4° de façon a pouvoir être illustrés de planches de reliures” (verso of half-title). ¶ This is a superb, unmarked copy of the best issue, printed on papier Japon (no. 7).
(23 cm), (2), 329 pp., text illustrations. Publisher’s printed wrappers. - Describes briefly 325 bindings in the Victoria & Albert Museum Library and also 915 rubbings made by Weale. ¶ Lacking volume l (Introduction) published in 1898. Wrapper very worn, especially across the back, with small pieces missing. Sewing loosening.
Three parts in one volume (31.5 cm), I (1910): xxx, 156 (2) pp., 84 illustrations (4 in colour). II (1913): xxvii (1), 86 (2) pp., 45 illustrations (2 in colour). III (1914): xxvii (1), 82 (2) pp. 41 illustrations (2 in colour). In a fine binding by Gustaf and Arvid Hedberg, Stockholm; edges gilt (original upper-wrappers bound-in). - “The standard work on book-binding in Sweden” (Lindberg), compiled by a prominent Swedish book collector and bibliographical scholar. “A pioneer work, distinguished by [Rudbeck’s] knowledge of bindings not only in public libraries but also in several important private collections” (Sten G. Lindberg, Swedish books 1280-1967, Stockholm 1968, p.61 no. 86 and p.84). ¶ Immaculate copy.
(24 cm), pp.345-468 (continues pagination of Heft 1), plates 76-145 (1 in colour, several folding). Items 707-1146; priced. Publisher’s printed wrappers. - Catalogue of German (item nos. 707-931), English (nos. 933-955), French (956-1085), Italian (1086-1125), other European (and non-Western) bookbindings (1126-1142), reference books (143-1146). Includes Adolf Schmidt, “Zwei Frankfurter Buchbinder zu Ende des sechzehnten Jahrhunderts”, describing the bindings of Thomas Drechsler (Drexel) and Velten Fischer (plates 76-77). ¶ Paper worn across spine; otherwise a well-preserved copy.
Utrecht, Nederlandsche Vereeniging van Bibliothecarissen en Bibliotheekamtenaren, 1921
(24.5 cm), (8) 59 (1) pp., 40 numbered illustrations (20 leaves, printed both sides). Publisher’s printed wrappers. - “An excellent and detailed little work on the stamped bindings in the University Library of Utrecht which much enriches our knowledge of Low Country binders, about 280 stamps, 40 rolls, and 20 panel stamps being illustrated. The authors have based their work on documents, and have taken great pains to record the provenance of the bindings described” (Strickland Gibson, “Recent books on binding” in The Library, series 4, volume 3, 1922, p.138). ¶ Spine neatly reinforced with cloth. Bookseller’s label on upper wrapper: B.H. Blackwell Ltd.
Thirty volumes, bound in fifteen (28 cm), with 2,685 plates reproducing approximately 10,000 armorial stamps. Uniformly bound in quarter blue morocco, top edges gilt (a collector’s binding). - An enormous and indispensable work, with well over 3000 reproductions of armorial stamps. “So far as I have tested it, it is very accurate, and full of new information” (G.D. Hobson, “Books on Bookbinding” in The Book-collector’s Quarterly, volume 7, July-September 1932, p.79). ¶ Well-preserved, well-bound copies like the present one have become rare.
(26 cm), 208 pp. Publisher’s plain wrappers. - “Despite its publication date, still an excellent bibliography on the subject, with 2,691 entries arranged alphabetically under broad subject headings such as Allgemeines (general works), Geschichte (historical studies), and Technik. The listing of books and articles is international in scope and provides full bibliographic information, but the entries generally lack annotation. Useful even for non-German speakers” (Joseph Rosenblum, A Bibliographic history of the book: an annotated guide to the Literature, Metuchen, NJ, 1995, p.173). ¶ Small piece torn from wrapper; otherwise a fine copy.
Two parts in one volume (25 cm), I (16 March 1925): vi, 80 pp., 12 leaves of plates (upper and lower covers of lot 15; lots 36, 43, 46, 59, 85, 112, 117, 147; upper and lower covers of lot 178). 185 lots. II (17-19 March 1925): (2) 106 pp., 8 leaves of plates (lots 91, 181, 406, 432/461, 520, 92/590, 586/587, 289/668). 822 lots. Morocco-backed boards, a collector’s binding (original wrappers bound in). - Catalogue of the collection of early English bindings assembled by E. Gordon Duff (1863-1924), at one time librarian of the John Rylands Library, prepared by G.D. Hobson using Duff’s own descriptive slips (bequeathed with his other papers to Cambridge University; MS Add. 8591-8632). “This liberal interpretation of an auctioneer’s duty toward the proper presentment of an exceptional collection has made the Sotheby’s catalogue of the Gordon Duff sale one of the most valuable reference works on early English binding” (E.P. Goldschmidt, “The Study of early bookbinding” in The Bibliographical Society 1892-1942: studies in retrospect, London 1949, p.179). Although all books were sold as bindings, not subject to return on account of textual deficiencies, the sale realised an unexpectedly high total of £8099. The top price, £601, was paid for a 13th century vellum manuscript of the Bible, illuminated by a Northern French artist; knocked-down to Maggs, it soon entered the Olschki stock, and in 1927 was purchased by the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore (Ms W. 61). ¶ Fine, unmarked copy.
London, Boston & New York, Ernest Benn Ltd / Houghton Mifflin Company, 1928
Two volumes (29.5 cm), I: (10) 369 (1) pp., frontispiece (in colour), 2 black & white plates (lettered A-B). II: viii, 112 plates, numbered 1-10, 10a, 11-12, 12a, 13-110 (plate 17 folding; plates 68, 85-86 in colour). Uniform publisher’s grey cloth. - Original edition of the author’s descriptive catalogue of his collection (introduction, followed by 268 entries). Mirjam Foot’s judgment in 1972 that it is “still indispensable for any student of bookbinding” is no less true today (in The Book Collector, Summer 1972, p.279). ¶ Gift inscription on endpaper, from Jacques Vellekoop (proprietor of E.P. Goldschmidt & Co. Ltd) to Robin Halwas, dated 11 October 1978; otherwise an unmarked copy. Colour frontispiece in volume I lightly offset onto title-page opposite; plate 29 loosening in volume and edges slightly abraded. Corners of binding lightly rubbed. Lacks dust jackets.
London, Boston & New York, Ernest Benn Ltd / Houghton Mifflin Company, 1928
Two volumes (29 cm), I: (10) 369 (1) pp., frontispiece (in colour), 2 black & white plates (lettered A-B). II (Plates): x [pp.ix-x: List of Photographs], 112 plates, numbered 1-10, 10a, 11-12, 12a, 13-110 (plate 17 folding; plates 68, 85-86 in colour), and 50 mounted photographs. Uniform publisher’s brown cloth. - First edition, limited to 750 copies. This is one of 50 copies of the “Edition de Luxe”, containing 50 mounted photographic plates not included in the trade issue, and a presentation copy, inscribed by E.P. Goldschmidt to Stephen Gaselee, Pepys Librarian (1908-1919) and Fellow of Magdalene College, Cambridge (1909-1943). In a tipped-in letter from Goldschmidt to Gaselee (dated 9 December 1927), Goldschmidt declares this to be “the very first copy that comes from the binder”. Two other presentation copies of the book are known to the writer: one was inscribed by Goldschmidt to Hugh William Davies, cataloguer for the London booksellers W.J. Leighton, “with best thanks for help and advice from the author” (with Jonathan Hill, Catalogue 8, 1982, item 145); the other to Alice Parsons Millard, collector and proprietor of George M. Millard Rare & Fine Imported Books, Los Angeles (in 1984-1985 with Jennifer S. Larson, Yerba Buena Books, San Francisco). “A catalogue raisonné of the author’s own Collection, with a preface of 126 pages on fifteenth and sixteenth-century bindings generally… The descriptions of the individual books are models of their kind. Goldschmidt indeed deserves to be called the Robert Proctor of bookbindings. He has done far more than anybody else… to put the study of the subject on the right lines” (G.D. Hobson, “Books on Bookbinding” in The Book-collector’s Quarterly, volume 7, July-September 1932, p.71). “One of the classics on the subject, extremely readable and based on the author’s immense knowledge of the book-trade in the 16th century” (Anthony R.A. Hobson, The Literature of bookbinding, London: National Book League, 1954, p.10); “A work of immense learning which has had a lasting influence on binding studies” (B.H. Breslauer, The Uses of Bookbinding Literature, New York 1986, p.27). ¶ Exlibris of Harry Richardson Creswick (1902-1988), Cambridge University Librarian (1949-1967). Superb copy.
(30 cm), 69 pp. 60 pl. on 30 leaves. Publisher’s printed wrappers. - Describes the distinctive Piedmontese style which evolved after the appointment by Victor Amadeus II in 1719 of a royal binder. The names of the royal binders (one was Dutch, one French, one Neapolitan, and at least eight were Roman) are given and 106 illustrations of bindings. “In spite of its title, the first plate represents a binding by Magnus of Amsterdam!” (G.D. Hobson, “Books on Bookbinding” in The Book-collector’s Quarterly, volume 7, July-September 1932, p.83). “Di quest’ opera furono stampati 300 esemplari numerati a cura della tipografia Cardinal Ferrari in Milano”. ¶ Copy numbered 248, in superb state of preservation.
Brussels, Société des Bibliophiles et iconophiles de Belgique, 1930
Three volumes (30.5 cm), I (Maisons souveraines et gouverneurs généraux des Pays-Bas; Amateurs ecclésiastiques): xii, 384 pp., text illustrations, plates 1-17. II (Abbayes et institutions religieuses; Royaume, provinces, villes, universités et institutions civiles): vi, pp.385-630, text illustrations, plates 18-26. III (Amateurs particuliers): vi, pp.631-948, text illustrations, plates 27-38. Paged continuously. Loose in portfolios, as issued. Uniform publisher’s printed wrappers. - “A major reference source for armorial bindings from Belgium and the Low Countries, covering both private and institutional owners. Well illustrated with drawings of armorial stamps, and pictures of bindings” (David Pearson, Provenance research in book history: a handbook, London 1994, p.115). ¶ “Exemplaire No. 5. Imprimé pour M. le Vicomte de Jonghe” (of 50 special copies printed on “papier de Hollande Pannekoek”; the remainder of the edition of 700 numbered copies was printed either on “papier Hendon de luxe” or on “papier Hendon ordinaire”). Light spotting on some page edges; overall in excellent state of preservation.
Six parts, bound in two volumes (28.5 cm), I (7-9 May 1930): (4) ix (1), 64 (2) pp., portrait-frontispiece, [59] leaves of plates (some double-page). Lots numbered 1-250. II (6-8 May 1931): (4) 183 (1) pp., [66] leaves of plates (some double-page). Lots numbered 251-705. III (7-9 May 1935): vi, 60 (2) pp., colour frontispiece, [32] leaves of plates (some in colour, some double-page). Lots numbered 706-947. IV (5-7 May 1936): (4) 60 (2) pp., colour frontispiece, [20] leaves of plates (some in colour). Lots numbered 948-1204. V (19-21 May 1937): (4) 155 (3) pp., colour frontispiece, [9] leaves of plates (one in colour), text illustrations (some red & black). Lots numbered 1205-1611. VI (4-6 May 1938): (4) 113 (3) pp., colour frontispiece, [27] leaves of plates (some in colour, some folding), text illustrations. Lots numbered 1612-2091. Uniformly bound in two volumes (vol. 1: parts I-II; vol. 2: parts III-VI) in collector’s modern half-morocco (original wrappers discarded). - The posthumous sales of the private library of the great bookseller Édouard Rahir. Rahir had been apprenticed, aged sixteen, at Morgand and Fatout, and after Morgand’s death in 1898 he carried on the business, as “Édouard Rahir et Cie”, supported by the Rothschild bank (Rahir had paid out the Rothschilds by 1903). Rahir’s stock at the time of his retirement was sold anonymously in 1927-1929, and on 7 May 1930 began the series of six sales of his personal library, as “La Bibliothèque de feu Édouard Rahir, ancien libraire”, as Rahir had mandated, “for he had no respect for the retired bookseller who tends to forget that he has ever been in trade” (Arthur Rau, “Édouard Rahir 1862-1924” in The Book Collector, Summer 1967, pp.169-177). ¶ Fine, well-presented set.
New York, [printed by Lecram-Servant, Paris], 1935
Four volumes (30 × 28 cm), I-III: 613 pp. (paged continuously), 336 plates. IV: 161 pp., 77 plates. Uniform publisher’s blue buckram. - The first three volumes illustrate the work of 120 French binders, from Monnier and Padeloup to Trautz-Bauzonnet. The doublures and dentelles, binder’s stamps and tickets, are often reproduced. The fourth volume contains 77 plates, showing the work of 51 binders of the 18th and 19th centuries. The catalogue was published four years after the collector’s death (1 June 1931); three years later, his heirs consigned the library to Sotheby’s. Donald C. Dickinson, Dictionary of American Book Collectors (New York 1986), pp.281-282. ¶ Exlibris removed from volume I (leaving glue stain). A clean and fresh copy.
Two volumes (25 cm), I (15-17 December 1936): (6) 181 (1) pp., 56 leaves of plates (some in colour, some folding). Lots numbered 1-615. II (20-22 April 1937): (2) 127 (1) pp., 8 leaves of plates (some in colour, some folding). Lots numbered 616-1357. Publisher’s printed wrappers. - The collector, proprietor of Frederik Muller & Co., of Amsterdam, was attracted particularly to illuminated manuscripts, early printing, and bindings. ¶ Part I unmarked and a fine copy; Part II annotated in pencil with prices realised and buyers’ names. Spine of Part II abraded, small losses.
(25.5 cm), 206 pp., 38 leaves of plates (2 plates in colour, some folding). Lots numbered 1-1478. Morocco-backed boards, a collector’s binding (original wrappers bound-in). - Contains an extensive collection of the works of William Blake, numerous bindings from the library of Sir Thomas Wotton, a complete run of the Daniel press, and illuminated manuscripts. Moss was especially interested in English bindings of the sixteenth century and he wrote and himself printed books on the bindings executed for Robert Dudley and for Wotton. Most of the Blake rarities were bought by Rosenbach; “the Duke of Rutland, who was present, gave £215 for a copy of the Bible… bound for Matthew Parker (1504-75), Archbishop of Canterbury, in his private bindery at Lambeth” (saleroom report, in The Times, London, 3 March 1937, p.17). Two English bindings were bought for the Victoria & Albert Museum Library: one binding, on a folio Greek Testament of 1550, is decorated by gilt strapwork ornament and painted arms of Edward VI (now Special Collections, Drawer 20, catalogued as a Parisian binding by Wotton’s Binder B); the other was made in the bindery of the religious community at Little Gidding, Huntingdonshire (Special Collections, Drawer 17a). Cf. Strickland Gibson, “Colonel William Moss” in Bodleian Library Record, volume 5 (1955), pp.156-166. ¶ Fine, well-presented copy. No Price list.
Two volumes (25 cm), II (5-7 July 1938): pp.153-308, illustrations (some in colour). Lots numbered 569-1287. III (9 December 1938): pp.309-554, 41 leaves of plates, illustrations. Lots numbered 1288-2493. Publisher’s printed wrappers. - The second and third parts of the Schiff sale catalogue only (lacking catalogue for Part I conducted by Sotheby & Co., London, 23-25 March 1938). “The method of describing and presenting the books in the catalogue was a triumph for the auctioneers” (from “Bibliographical notes” in The Times Literary Supplement, 17 December 1938, p.909). The collector’s “Early English engravings and French prints in mezzotint & colour” were sold by Christie’s, 27 June 1938. Donald C. Dickinson, Dictionary of American Book Collectors (New York 1986), pp.281-282. ¶ Unmarked copies.
(25 cm), (2) 32 pp., frontispiece, [11] leaves of plates. 219 lots. Publisher’s printed wrappers. - A handwritten note on the title-page of the Grolier Club copy identifies the consignor as H. Gordon Selfridge. Lot 59 is one of Grolier’s copies of Zacharias Ferrerius (now in the British Library, Henry Davis collection). Four fake bindings by Louis Hagué were offered; “although Sotheby’s observed the provenance of the first three of these bindings, they omitted to notice that the fourth had also been included in their sale [of John Blacker’s collection] in 1897. One feels, moreover, that the cataloguer might have made clearer their comparatively recent origin” (Percy Muir, “Sotheby’s sale” in The Times Literary Supplement, 27 September 1941, p.104, casting doubt on the authenticity of the Grolier Ferrarius, and of a binding for Madame de Pompadour: “it would appear Madame must have owned two identical copies, for de Ricci records one in a French public library”). ¶ Unmarked copy. Covers and a few pages dusty.