DE BURE, Guillaume François.

Musaeum Typographicum, seu Collectio in qua, omnium ferè Librorum in quavis facultate ac Lingua rariorum, Rarissimorum, notatu que dignissim. accurate Recensentur à Guillelmo-Francisco Rebude, juniore, Bibliopola Parisiensi.

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Title within ornate typographical border composed of fleurons by Fournier le Jeune. 1 p.l., 43 pp. Small 8vo, cont. red morocco (like in all copies, short tears to margins of several leaves, each carefully strengthened), triple gilt fillet round sides, spine richly gilt, contrasting morocco lettering piece on spine, a.e.g. [Paris]: 1755. First edition, one of twelve copies printed. De Bure’s Musaeum Typographicum is one of the most elusive and intriguing bibliographical compilations of the eighteenth century, intended for private circulation among a few friends and clients by the twenty-four year old De Bure (1731-82), soon to become the most influential bookseller and bibliographer in France of 18th century. It is one of the greatest rarities in bibliographical and antiquarian booktrade literature. The Musaeum Typographicum is an alphabetical list of 510 books printed between 1457 and 1737, including separate entries for copies on vellum, and on ordinary or large paper, of the same books. Bibliographers, from Brunet to Jean Viardot, have considered the volume to be the forerunner or trial balloon of the De Bure’s landmark publication in the history of bibliophily, Bibliographie Instructive, the first volume of which appeared only eight years later. The traditional number of copies printed has always been given as twelve (see Brunet, Bigmore and Wyman, and Viardot). Whether or not this is exactly true, there is no doubt that this book is virtually unobtainable. I have been waiting many years for a copy to put on my shelves. The most likely explanation for the printing of this rare catalogue was as a sort of extremely exclusive advertisement of the books which he could supply from his family’s stock and other sources. Many of the books listed could have been furnished from De Bure’s father’s, his own, and other Parisian booksellers’ stocks (even the 1462 Bible, of which several copies had recently come into the market). Fine copy. ❧ Bigmore & Wyman, I, p. 94. Brunet, II, 554. Viardot, “Livres rares et pratiques bibliophiliques” in Histoire de l’Édition française, II, p. 459.

• USD 37,500.00 > autres monnaies
• Commande nro.: HillBibl-1263

• libraire: Jonathan A. Hill, Bookseller, Inc. (USA)