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Famous catalogue - Still an important bibliographical reference work - Of a great 18th century private library

[CREVENNA, Pierre Antoise (Bolongaro)].
Catalogue raisonné de la collection de livres de M. Pierre Antoise Crevenna, négociant à Amsterdam.

First volume with a vignet on the title of the Crevenna library, engraved by J. van Schley, dated 1774; another vignet by Van Schley on the titles of the other vols.; engraved head- and tail-pieces.

(Amsterdam, no pr.), 1775-1776. 6 vols. 4to. Contemporary sprinkled wrappers. First volume with a vignet on the title of the Crevenna library, engraved by J. van Schley, dated 1774; another vignet by Van Schley on the titles of the other vols.; engraved head- and tail-pieces. Vol.1: XII, 150; 2: (2), 244 (1); 3: 312, (1); 4: 328; 5: 346 (1); 6: (4), 336, (4) pp.

Original edition of this famous descriptive catalogue of one of the most important private libraries of the eightteenth century. The descriptions and annotations - mostly written by Crevenna himself - were of such a quality that the Catalogue raisonné could develop into one of the most often used bibliographical reference works - even till the present day -, considered to be among the first important bibliographical tools in the modern sense of the word, that were ever made.
Pietro Antonio Crevenna (1736-1792) was a wealthy and in origin Italian tobacco-merchant in Amsterdam who in 1738 had married Antoinetta Maria Bolongaro, the daughter of an even more wealthy Italian merchant living in Amsterdam. His fortune enabled him to devote himself to book collecting and bibliophily. Over the years he had built up a very extensive library, undoubtedly the most important bookcollection in the Netherlands in the eightteenth century. At the same time Crevenna developped into a very skilful and scholarly bibliographer and book historian, reshaping the standards of bibliography and planning to write a new history on the origin of printing.
It is unknown why the library was auctionned in 1790, the owner being still alive. The sales were helt from 26 April to 14 June in Amsterdam. The auction catalogue was printed in 1789 by D.J. Changuion & P. den Hengst in 5 vols.: Catalogue des livres de la bibliothèque de M. Pierre Antoine Bolongaro-Crevenna.
The library was particularly important through its many rare Bible editions, Judaica, rare Italian imprints, more than 1000 incunables and a collection of books on the history of the Jesuits.
Vol. 1 starts with Theology (1295 nrs.); vol. 2: Jurisprudence, Philosophie, Histoire naturelle, arts; vol. 3: Belles lettres (première partie); vol. 4: Belles lettres (seconde partie); vol. 5: Histoire; vol. 6: Additions et tables: lists of manuscripts, incunables, books printed by Aldus, the Giunti, Plantin, Baskerville, etc. and books with letters by and to famous scholars.

Good set in original wrappers as issued; uncut.

NNBW, 10 (1937), kols. 222-3; F. Muller, Cat. v.d. Ver. t. bevord. v.d. belangen des boekhandels(1855), 104; Maandblad Amstelodamum, 2, p. 53; Encycl. Italiana, 11 (1931), 893; Taylor, Book catalogues, their varieties & uses. Second ed., p. 238; not in Blogie.

Related Subjects: Bibliography Libraries & Collections

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