Catalogo della Libreria Floncel, o sia de'Libri Italiani.
Paris: Presso Gov. Gabriello Cressonnier, Librajo, 1774. Item #420
2 volumes. 8vo. 200 x 120 mm., (8 x 5 inches), [2] vi, xxvi, [2] 378 pp.; [4], 346 pp., with both half-titles. Illustrated with title-page vignettes and headpieces. Contemporary tan calf spine, marbled paper boards; some scuffing to the calf; insignia skillfully removed from base of spine; with the library stamp of “Societatis Jesu Seminar. Valsens” on the title-page.
Important catalogue of 7,984 lots of books, prints and manuscripts, considered the largest collection of Italian books formed outside of Italy and is the only 18th-century French sale catalogue to be printed in a foreign language. Called by Guigard a magnificent collection and he describes the sale catalogue as “très curieux et très recherché”. The catalogue is annotated is places and fully indexed by the author.
Floncel was born in Luxembourg in 1697 and died in Paris in 1773. He was a lawyer for the Parliament of Paris, Secretary of State of the principality of Monaco and its first secretary of foreign affairs. The title-pages tell us that he was a member of twenty-four Italian academies and his he formed this collection over sixty years.
Guigard II, p. 217. Horne p. 706. Grolier Club, French Auction Sales, 225. Taylor, Book Catalogues , p. 192.
Price: $7,500.00