Incunabula, editio princeps and first editions of major works from 15th to 18th century

First edition, rare.

Contemporary full blond calf bindings, mottled. Smooth spines decorated with urn tools and fillets. Red morocco lettering-pieces and green morocco volume labels, the latter additionally bearing the letters AB, NZ... Rich border of palmettes and frieze on the covers, with on the upper cover: Prix des Ecoles Académiques; and on the lower cover: Lille 1812. Rubbing. Some corners bumped. A handsome and highly decorative set.

First edition, richly illustrated, of the abridged version of the famous commentaries by the Chevalier de Folard, established by the Count of Chabot. 113 copperplate engravings - sometimes folding (Volume I: 51, volume 2: 22 and volume 3: 40) - representing techniques, battle scenes and war machines of Antiquity; including 4 maps and a plan of Cremona.

Full speckled blonde calf binding. Spine with five raised bands decorated with red morocco title and volume labels and gilt compartments and fleurons; gilt dentelles at foot. All edges red. Two head caps worn, the third slightly rubbed. Some wormholes on the spine of the second volume. Two corners slightly bumped. Numerous scuffing.

First edition, illustrated with 20 figures (battle scenes) at the end of the work. Gothic round typeface.
Contemporary full brown sheep binding. Jansenist spine with raised bands. Tawny morocco title label. Blind title. German binding.
History of the war between Prussia and its allied states and Austria and its allied states. It was Frederick II who triggered the hostilities between the two nations by attempting to seize Silesia, this war took place within the conflict of the Austrian succession.

First edition. Rare.

Half tan sheep bindings, smooth spines decorated with double gilt fillets showing some rubbing traces, two lower headcaps affected by small lacks due in one case to slight worm damage not affecting the text at all, and brown stains, upper headcap of volume 2 abraded, gilt names of a previous owner at foot, one joint of volume 3 cracked at head, marbled paper boards, later but 19th^century bindings. Rare and handsome copy almost entirely free from foxing.

Swedish entomologist and military officer who studied under Linnaeus. The Insects of Sweden (Insecta suecica) forms his most important contribution to the discipline; his insect collection was very extensive.

Volumes 1 and 4 each contain, bound at rear, manuscript notes and annotations covering 5½ pages, in a fine and close hand, certainly by the first owner of the work: A. Godart whose name appears at the foot of each volume.

First edition.

Half twentieth-century skivertex binding imitating leather. Marbled paper boards. Gilt title. Good copy.

Protectionist measure for the purchase of leather-bound books. The ruling reports the favorable outcome of the lawsuit brought by the shoemakers of Châteauvillain.

First edition, magnificently illustrated with a frontispiece by Cochin, engraved by Saint-Aubin, a title vignette by the same, 59 large tailpieces and headpieces (designed and engraved by Saint-Aubin) explained and deciphered at the beginning of the work, and 179 figures hors-texte each presenting an engraved stone (engraved by Saint-Aubin). Fine printing on deluxe Holland paper.

Full black morocco-grained shagreen binding ca 1850. Smooth spine with flat raised bands decorated with fillets and roulettes on the bands. Triple-ruled frames on boards with corner fleurons. Marbled edges. Light rubbing to headcaps, corners. Paper lacking to margin of one leaf in volume I. Some leaves browned. Pale angular dampstain on 3 leaves of volume I. Handsome copy, with wide margins. 

Second edition and first published by Cazin, with two volumes added; a first edition in 4 volumes was published in Geneva in 1782. Musical scores at the end of volumes. Only volumes 5 and 6 contain no musical score, the songs being sung to airs already noted in the other volumes, which are identified by the air numbers. 48pp. of musical scores in volume 1; 48pp. in volume 2; 38 in volume 3; 40 in volume 4.

Later brown half-sheep binding (1800). Smooth spine decorated with three fleurons and fillets. Red morocco title-label with roulettes. Red morocco volume label in a roundel. Marbled paper boards. Rubbing to headcaps and joints. Corners slightly bumped.

First edition of this French translation, illustrated with a frontispiece containing 3 figures and a title vignette by Quinau. A first translation had appeared under the title Hipparchus in 1645; one could not say however that this new translation carried out by a Protestant is literal, it is rather a free translation to which a pamphleteering charge has been added.
Contemporary full blonde sheep binding. Richly decorated raised spine. Beige morocco title-label. Wormholes on spine with a lack to title-label. Handsome copy nevertheless.
There would be according to the author, both a reprehensible commerce and one that would not be so.

First edition. One frontispiece.

Contemporary full blonde sheep binding. Smooth spine decorated, red morocco title-label. Headcap worn. One hole at foot. 2 corners slightly bumped. Rubbing.

First edition, quite rare; a counterfeit edition appeared on the same date in Amsterdam.

Contemporary full glazed and marbled blonde calf binding. Decorated smooth spines. Red morocco title and volume labels. A small lack at head of volume I. Five corners slightly bumped. Rubbing. Good copy.

Without doubt Bonnet's most ambitious and remarkable study which earned him the designation of father of modern biology. This work of theoretical biology drawing its source from multi-disciplinary reflection and its postulate from Leibniz (the immortality of the soul) claims that the Earth periodically suffers universal catastrophes which destroy almost all life and that the survivors each time rise one degree on the evolutionary scale. Bonnet was the first to use the term evolution in a biological context. The work also prefigures experimental psychology. There would exist in each being germs which pre-exist it and ensure the survival of the species, Bonnet's thesis announcing the theories and discoveries of genes. It was blindness that in Bonnet put a stop to experimentation and engaged him on the path of philosophical reflection.

Rare assemblage of the two parts usually found separated of the Palais. While the Palais de la gloire does not constitute a sequel in the strict sense, it is a second volume envisaged by the author. It remains uncertain why this one appeared with another publisher; perhaps this change, together with the year separating the two first editions, accounts for the constant separation of the works.
Later edition of the Palais de l'honneur, first published in 1663, and first edition of the Palais de la gloire. The first work is illustrated with an allegorical frontispiece by Chauveau and 12 engraved plates of coats of arms.
Contemporary full brown sheep binding. Spine with raised bands, gilt-tooled. Red morocco lettering-piece. Headcap partially worn away (same at foot). Upper joint cracked and split at head along the first compartment. Corners rubbed. Initial leaves of the second work toned. The 12 plates are unpaginated; moreover, the Palais de la gloire begins at p. 288, without any loss, as in all copies (noting in particular numerous pagination errors).

First edition, rare and valuable.
Contemporary full brown sheep binding. Spine with raised bands, gilt tooling. Binding with some surface wear. Losses to the joints at headcap and to the upper joint at tail. One corner rubbed.

French first edition and first translation into vernacular after the original Latin, which had appeared in the Elementa physiologica in 8 volumes, published from 1757 to 1766.

Full speckled blonde calf bindings. Raised band spines with ornamentation. Red morocco title and volume labels. Head caps worn, same for the foot cap of volume 2. Two corners bumped on volume 2. Volume label of volume 1 missing. Some leaves yellowed.

Important study devoted to the phenomena of generation, fertilization and embryology, with a description of sexual organs and their function. By establishing a state of contemporary knowledge, Haller refutes certain previously established theses, notably that of Malpighi, and establishes new ones, clarifying the way in which new individuals come into the world.

Contemporary brown sheep, spine in compartments, headpiece and one corner repaired, wormtrack to middle of upper margin, a few insignificant wormholes. The final engraving is shaved and lacking the last lines of text from the legend. A very good copy.

Du Verney's first work; he was renowned for his knowledge of anatomy and physiology, was tutor to the Dauphin and taught in the Botanical Gardens.

This is the first scientific monograph on the structure of the ear and its illnesses, and is therefore very significant. It played a determining role in the understanding of this organ, whose study had been until then much neglected. Stamp of Doctor Maurice Petit of Montereau.

New and improved enlarged edition (partly original), illustrated with a frontispiece, 12 unsigned figures, and 6 title vignettes (the title pages are entirely engraved). A fine printing. The original 1770 edition comprised only 3 volumes in-12.
Contemporary full mottled calf bindings. Smooth spines decorated with floral tools and multiple gilt rolls. Triple gilt fillet framing on covers. Blue sprinkled edges. Slight surface wear to the covers. A few wormholes to the joints, and some worming in the margin of volume I. Despite these minor flaws, a handsome, well-bound and fresh copy.

Sixth edition with some parts in first edition. It contains 54 new remarks compared to previous editions.

Contemporary full brown sheep binding. Decorated spine with raised bands. Red morocco title label. Rubbing. The last endpaper has been pasted down over the privilege. 3 wormholes on the spine.

First edition.

Contemporary full blonde calf binding with marbled decoration. Decorated spine with raised bands. Red morocco title label. Head worn. 2 corners slightly bumped. Headcaps rubbed. A reasonably good copy.
This police treatise is undoubtedly the best testimony one can find on the customs and daily life of the French in the 18th century. It shows what was done regarding wolves or masterless dogs, plague, games in fairs and markets, latrines... Compared to the famous police treatise by Delamare, which the author mentions in his preface, this present treatise has a more practical aim, which is why it has been put in dictionary form. It contains not only all the edicts relating to a question but also precious commentaries by the author. Colbert defined police in these terms in an ordinance of 1669: 'Police consists in ensuring public peace and that of individuals, in procuring abundance and in making each person live according to their condition'.

Label: Librairie Raymond Clavreuil.

NB: This work is available at the bookshop on request within 48 hours.

First edition. Rare. Engraved title page with printer’s vignette (a beehive and bees). A fine edition, handsomely printed on quality laid paper. The copy is authenticated by the author’s original signature.
The copy bears a preliminary page preceding the half-title for a prize, repeating the same motto found on the binding. The book appears to have been presented by the University or School of Harlem to Bernardo Van Laar in 1799 as a first prize in letters, and seems signed by several professors.
Contemporary full mottled calf binding. Emblematic binding (Athena – or Virtue? – with her attributes reading a book beneath a tree, on her shield: a sword surmounted by the Maltese cross, flanked by four stars) with the motto Vicit Vim Virtus gilt-stamped on the boards. Spine with raised bands, richly decorated with intertwined foliage and floral tools. Broad gilt frame on the covers. Red morocco label. Traces of ties. Rubbing to the spine, otherwise a handsome copy.
With a bookseller’s label (A. Durand, Paris), a stamp from the diocesan library of Valence, and a stamp of E. T. Hannion, chaplain at the Imperial Lycée of Bar-Le-Duc.

First edition. P. Michel (works in Italian preserved in libraries in France) VIII, 120. Work illustrated with 95 plates on wood.

Contemporary binding in full vellum, handwritten title in ink. Spine browned and stains on the boards. A clear waterstain on the lower margin throughout the work, not affecting the text.

Giuseppe Viola Zanini (1575-1631), who was born in Vicenza and died in Padua, was a painter and an architect who worked in the Venice area. He was more of a decorative painter, renowned for such, than an active architect; architecture interested him as a means of expression of painted decoration. The work is divided into two parts, the first part focuses on the origins of architecture and its composing elements, as well as the way in which we must build; the second book is entirely devoted to the five orders. This book was largely studied outside of Italy, and in particular by Blondel in France.

Rare. We have found nothing concerning this work, absent from libraries.
Half calf Romantic binding with corners in red, smooth spine with 4 tools and fillets. Foxing. One corner of the title page border reinforced.
In the form of a tale and dialogue between a father and son, the author examines the nobility of character of a good merchant, how he should be a good father to his son and a good father to his country. Numerous passages on the importance of agriculture. « Ce travail lui donna des vues très étendues sur les rapports du commerce, avec le bonheur particulier & général des hommes? » (This work gave him very extensive views on the relationship of commerce with the particular & general happiness of mankind?).

First edition, the only one published.
Bound in red half long-grain morocco in the Romantic style, flat spine with two vertical Romantic tools. Two small wormholes along the upper joint. Minor rubbing as usual, but a handsome copy, notably well-preserved.


NB: This item is available at the bookshop on request within 48 hours.

First edition.

In original wrappers, covered with brown paper from the XX^th century.

A scientific mind of the Society of Jesus, Sarrabat obtained the gold medal from the academy of sciences in 1728 for his work on the origin of the salinity of the sea, which he attributed primarily to waters flowing into the sea.

First edition.
Contemporary full vellum binding. Raised bands to spine. Hebrew title handwritten in ink. Two small wormholes at foot. Two defects with loss to the band of the third compartment and to the upper joint of the fourth compartment.
Hebrew-Latin dictionary compiled by Zanolini, professor of Oriental languages at the seminary of Padua.