The history of rare booksellers’ catalogues is as long as the history of rare bookselling itself. It goes back into the 17h and 18th century when tradesmen and marketeers could receive a legal allowance to sell old and used books in the residences of the nobility and in the emerging university cities which were not only economic centres, but centres of knowledge and culture. The first rare book dealers often offered whole collections, some of them for auction with more than 20.000 or even 30.000 items. And for those collections catalogues with very short descriptions of the books and manuscripts for sale were published.

18th and 19th century beginnings 

Early examples from the German book trade are Johannes Vogt’s “Catalogus historico-criticus librorum rariorum” (1731 to 1747) and Valentin Ernst Loescher’s “Catalogus Bibliothecae Viri Summi Valentini Ernesti Loescheri Theologi Saxonici” (1749). The latter defended himself and the abundance of books presented in his catalogue against public criticism stating (in Latin) that some of those severe critics might not know that most of the books offered for sale were not meant for luxury but for serious use and studies. Loescher was right to do so. Already in 1697 an anonymous author had complained: 

“Gewinsüchtige Leute … raspeln davor von allen Orthen und Enden allerhand alte defecte Bücher zusammen / lassen davon grosse ansehnliche Catalogos drucken / damit sie bald in dieser bald in jener Stadt können Auctiones anstellen” - Unscrupulous people thus heap up old defective books and describe them in handsome catalogues, so as to hold auctions in this town or that.

Reinhard Wittmann 

In France an "Avis sur les Descriptions & Prisées de Livres &c.” was published in 1716. The “Avis” was officially declared by the King of France on February 25, 1716, and registered in Parliament on April 1 of the same year. The document set formal rules for the public sale of books. Every French dealer had to adhere to them. An interesting fact is that the "prisées" (the public sales by auction) were done by the rare bookseller himself and not by a "commissaire-priseur" (the auctioneer). The rules were strict, examples were given. For every sale the exact time, place and the name of the former owner had to be given, the book description and the price had to be written by the booksellers themselves on stamped paper. If many books were sold as one lot, description and price were also written on the parcel, starting with the most important book as number 1 in the following manner: 

« Premierement Sancti Augustini Opera, ex editione Benedictiniorum, Paris. 1679. in folio 8 vol. reliez en veau, numerotez I. prisé … 
Item Le Dictionnaire historique de Morery en cinq Volumes in folio, reliez en veau, numeroté 2. prisé …
Item Quatre Volumes in folio reliez en vieau, dont …  numerotez 3. prisez ensemble …»

Early examples of the rare book trade catalogues in France are Guillaume de Bure's "Catalogue de Livres Rare" (1786), J. G. Mérigot's "Catalogues des Livres ... " (1788) and the "Notice de Livres Rares" by Leclerc (1792). These French catalogues are available online at Gallica. Click on the booksellers' names to download and have a look at the rare books offers of the 18th century. 

Recently added to the picture gallery (below):

Avis sur les Descriptions & Prisées de Livres &c (1716)

Guillaume de Bure: Catalogue de Livres Rare. Dont la Vente se sera le Lundi 13 Mars 1786 & jours suivants, trois heures de relevée, en l’une des Salles de l’Hôtel de Bullion, rue Plâtriere. Paris 1786

J. G. Mérigot: Catalogues des Livres de fond qui se trouvent chez J. G. Mérigot le jeune, Libraire, sur le quai des Augustins, au coin de la rue Pavée, n°. 38, à Paris. Mai 1788

Leclerc: Notice de Livres Rares, La plupart imprimés dans le quinzième siècle, dont la vente se fera rue des deux Ecus, à l’hôtel Saint-Antoine, le 16 janvier 1792, et jours suivans après midi. Paris 1792

(courtesy of Alain Marchiset)

Johannes Vogt: “Catalogus historico-criticus librorum rariorum” (1731 to 1747)

Johann August Gottlieb Weigel: Apparatus Literarius sive Index librorum lectissimorum quos suo sibi aere coemtos emturientibus offert. Leipzig 1806-1807

(source: Reinhard Wittmann, Von Schätzen und Scharteken. Antiquariatskataloge im 19. Jahrhundert)

F. A. Brockhaus: Bibliothèque Américaine. Catalogue Raisonnée d'une collection de livres précieux sur l'Amérique. Leipzig 1861

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