Catalogue of the Mathematical, Historical, Bibliographical, and Miscellaneous Portion of the Celebrated Library. . .Many scarce publications, relating to America; Rare Junta and Aldine editions. Ancient musical treatises. . . and a Most interesting collections of Books with Autograph Annotations written by illustrious men; including Galileo, Kepler, Ferrari, Torricelli, Borelli. . .
London: S. Leigh Sotheby & John Wilkinson, 1861. Item #1191 In Two Parts. Large 8vo. xxxi, [1], 799 pp., both parts with continuous pagination. 4 facsimile plates. Bound in contemporary half morocco, marbled paper boards. Very good copy. “Includes descriptions of 7628 lots sold over twenty sessions between April 25 and July 26th, 1861. It was reported that the two large sales which took place in 1861 netted Libri nearly 1 million francs. “This immense sale in two parts, containing 7,628 lots described on nearly 800 pages, was the first auction sale of rare books to emphasize and describe in detail so many great classics in the mathematical and physical sciences. It also contained classics in medicine and the biological sciences, and works on many other topics, including voyages and bibliography” (Norman) Jeremy writes in his Introduction “I will not say that Guglielmo Libri is a hero of mine, nor is he a conventional villain, but his is one of the most fascinating personalities in the history of book collecting, bibliography, and bookselling. In addition to his criminal escapades as a book thief and forger, he was a mathematician, historian of science, paleographer, bibliographer, book collector, bookseller, journalist, patriot, and academic politician.” Who can say more? British Museum, List of Catalogues of English Book Sales, . pp. 295-96. Jeremy Norman, Scientist, Scholar & Scoundrel: A Bibliographical Investigation of the Life and Exploits of Count Guglielmo Libri. New York: The Grolier Club, 2013, Nos. 71 and 72.
Price: $1,500.00