Forum Rare Books

Four plays by Antwerp rhetoricians, erroneously attributed to Johan Baptiste Houwaert

HOUWAERT, Johan Baptista [recté: MOL, Jacob de, Colyn KEYART and “SMEECKEN” (Jan SMEKEN?)]. Den handel der amoureusheyt inhoudende vier poetische spelen, 1. Van Aeneas ende Dido. 2. Narcissus ende Echo. 3. Mars ende Venus. 4. Leander ende Hero. Poetelijck geinventeert ende rethorijckelijck ghecomponeert.
Rotterdam, Jan van Waesberghe III, 1621. 4 parts in one volume. 8vo. With an engraved ornamental title-page with the title in an oval cartouche and 4 roundels in the corners with scenes from the four plays; 4 full-page engraved plates with similar scenes, one in the preliminaries of each play. Contemporary calf, spine richly gold-tooled in compartments with red title label lettered in gold, gold-tooled board edges. 237 ll. Full description

€ 5,500

Dutch Literature Erotica Music, Theatre & Dance

Beautiful 19th-century illustrations for all of Victor Hugo's plays, printed on silk

[HUGO, Victor]. [Théatre. Gravures sur soie].
[Paris, J. Lemmonyer, G. Richard and Cie, E. Testard, between 1885-1895]. 4to (ca. 27 x 24.5 cm). With 30 full-page engravings on silk. Contemporary gold-tooled red morocco, with the title and author lettered in gold on the spine, gold-tooled board edges and turn ins, marbled end papers. Bound by the French bookbinder Louis Guétant (1848-1936), signed in the bottom turn in of the front board. [30] silk ll. Full description

€ 6,500

Art & Art History Bindings Book History, Printing & Typography France French Literature Music, Theatre & Dance Prints & Print Series

Celebrating Gustav Adolf II, 'The Lion of the North' and champion of Protestantism,
magnificently illustrated by Crispijn vande Passe II

HULSIUS, Bartholomaeus. Den onderganck des Roomschen Arents, door den Noordschen Leeuw ...
Amsterdam, Crispijn vande Passe, 1642. 4to. Engraved allegorical title page with engraved title in a central panel below Fame sitting on a swan. Beautifully bound in 19th-century light brown gold-tooled calf (1850s or 1860s?), each board with triple along the edges, decorated spine with red and green labels lettered in gold, gold-tooled board edges and turn-ins, marbled endpapers, signed "PETIT SUCCr DE SIMIER": Charles Petit operated a Paris bindery from 1848 to 1873 as successor to René Simier (1772-1843), relieur du roi from 1815, and his son. [12], 91, [1 blank] pp. plus engraved title page. Full description

€ 15,000

Bindings Broadsides, Ephemera & Pamphlets Emblems Germany History / 17th Century Humanism & Reformation Philosophy & Humanism Scandinavia

Catalogue of van Hulthem’s enormous library

HULTHEM, Charles van (A. VOISIN, cataloguer). Bibliotheca Hulthemiana ou Catalogue méthodique de la riche et précieuse collection de livres et des manuscrits.
Ghent, J. Poelman, 1836-1837. 6 volumes. 8vo. With lithographed portrait of Charles van Hulthem as frontispiece. Contemporary half goatskin. Full description

€ 2,500

Auction Catalogues & Bookselling Bibliography & Biography Book History, Printing & Typography Greek & Roman Classics Literature Plantin Press

Antipapal dialogues (1520), with a lovely woodcut of Fortuna

HUTTEN, Ulrich von. Dialogi. Fortuna. Febris prima. Febris secunda. Trias Romana. Inspicientes.
Colophon: Mainz, Johann Schöffer, April 1520. Small 4to (19.5 x 14 cm). With a lovely woodcut of the blindfolded Fortuna on title-page (by Hans Weiditz?), a large woodcut initial Q (repeated twice) and several vine leaf ornaments. Printed in roman type. 19th-century half vellum, marbled paper sides. [72] ll. Full description

€ 3,750

Caricature & Satire Early Printing - 16th century German Literature Humanism & Reformation Philosophy & Humanism Religion (16th Century)

Third edition of the first poetry collection by one of the most famous poets of the Dutch Golden Age

HUYGENS, Constantijn. Ses boecken van de ledige uren, zijnde ghedichten van verscheyden talen, stijlen, ende stoffen. - Otiorum libri sex. Poëmata varij sermonis, styli, argumenti.
Haarlem, Hans Passchiers van Wesbusch, 1641. Oblong 16mo. Contemporary overlapping vellum, sewn on 2 supports laced through the joints, with the manuscript title on the spine. [2], 543, [1] pp. Full description

€ 7,500

Dutch Literature

Wonderful collection of Jewish songs by one of the most influential scholars of Jewish musicology.

IDELSOHN, Abraham Zvi. Songs of the Yemenite Jews. Collected and edited with an introduction. Thesaurus of Oriental Hebrew melodies.
Jerusalem; Berlin; Vienna, Benjamin Harz Verlag, 1922-1925. 2 works in 3 volumes. With musical scores throughout.
With: (2) DELITZSCH, Franz. Physiologie und Musik in ihrer Bedeutung für die Grammatik, besonders die Hebräische. Mit physikalischen Abbildungen und einer musikalischen Beilage.
[Leipzig, Dörffling, 1868].
The first volume in contemporary black morocco with the title lettered in gold on the front board and spine, the second volume in contemporary grey cloth, with the title lettered in black on the front and spine, ad 2 in the original publisher's printed wrappers. XII, 47, [3], 117, [1]; IX [1], 140; 47 [1] pp. Full description

€ 2,500

Judaica Music, Theatre & Dance

First and only edition of one of the earliest works on Persian grammar

IGNATIUS a Jesus (Carlo LEONELLI). Grammatica linguae Persicae. Auctore Patre Fratre Ignatio à Jesu Carmelita Discalceato missionario, & vicario residentiae Tripolis, & Montis Libani.
Rome, Propaganda Fide, 1661. 4to. With a device on the title-page, 1 woodcut decorated initial, decorations built up from arabesque typographic ornaments and a 4-page letterpress table showing the Persian alphabet with the initial, medial, final and stand-alone forms of the letters. Modern ivory vellum in the style of the time, manuscript title on spine. [2], 60 pp. Full description

€ 8,500

Dictionaries & Encyclopedias Iran / Persia Language & Linguistics Literature

The first illustrated edition in any language, in the tradition of Arabian Nights

[INCUNABLE - GOUDA]. Historia septem sapientiu[m] Rom[a]e.
[Gouda, Gheraert Leeu, before 3 June 1480]. 4to (20.5 x 14 cm). With 4 full-page woodcuts plus 14 repeats. The first initial is supplied in manuscript, in a rich ornamental uncial style in red and blue with brown penwork. All other initials are supplied by hand in simple red uncials. The text is rubricated throughout. Most of the plates are lightly highlighted in yellow and red, by a contemporary hand. Contemporary limp sheepskin parchment without a spine, so that the sewing is completely visible. Kept in a modern brown half morocco clamshell box. [79], [1 blank] ll. Full description

€ 250,000

Early Printing - 15th century Literature

Foundational work on the study of the Chinese customs and language

INTORCETTA, Prospero. R.P. Prosperi Intorcetta societatis Jesu missionarii sinensis testimonium de cultu sinensi, datum anno 1668.
Paris, Nicolas Pepié, 1700. 8vo. With a small woodcut ornamental vignette on the title page and some head- and tail-pieces built up from typographical ornaments. Contemporary vellum with the manuscript title on the spine, blue sprinkled edges. [2], 318, [10] pp. Full description

€ 12,500

China Jesuits Language & Linguistics Literature

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