Forum Rare Books

Oval portrait painting of Voltaire

CERF, J. de. [Oval miniature portrait painting of Voltaire].
[France?], "1687" [= ca. 1735?]. Oval portrait painting (11 x 9 cm) in grisaille on copper, with a note on the back "J. de Cerf A[nn]o 1687". Mounted in a gilt rectangular wooden frame (34.5 x 28 cm). Full description

€ 9,500

France French Literature Philosophy & Esotericism

Justice done by Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy to the Governor of Zeeland,
who had killed a man and raped his wife

[CHARLES THE BOLD]. Justitie van Carel den Stouten, Hert[og]: van Bourg[ondië]: etc. Grave van Holl[and]: Zel[and]: etc. over seker gouv[erneur]: in Zelant.
[Amsterdam?], Joachim Bormeester, [ca. 1690]. Oblong 1mo (full sheet) broadside (41 x 50.5 cm). An engraved print with extensive engraved texts in Dutch, the central scene (33.5 x 31 cm) flanked by 6 smaller scenes, with the title above the central scene (in roman capitals with I and V for UJ and U), 5 lines of verse (a couplet in 1 line followed by a 4-line verse) below each smaller scene and the story in prose in the foot of the engraving. Hand-coloured and highlighted in gold. Full description

€ 850

Art & Art History Law & Politics Netherlands Prints & Print Series

Rare first and only editions of Neo-Latin poems on ships and monkeys

CHARLEVAL, Charles-François de. Navis carmen.
Rennes, widow of Mathurnus Denys, 1695. With a folding engraved plate of a 44-gun ship.
With: (2) CHARLEVAL, Charles-François de. Simius carmen.
Rennes, widow of Mathurnus Denys, [ca. 1695]. 2 works in 1 volume. 8vo. Contemporary calf, gold-tooled spine. 34, [2 blank], 31 pp. Full description

€ 2,950

Caricature & Satire French Literature Literature Ships & Shipbuilding

Very rare children's book on the peoples of the world, with 24 hand-coloured costume plates

[CHILDREN'S BOOK - GEOGRAPHY - ANTHROPOLOGY]. Kleine Völker-Gallerie für Kinder in unterhaltenden Erzählungen von den Sitten, Meinungen, Gebräuchen und Kleidungen fremder Nationen, mit vier und zwanzig kolorirten Kupfern.
Köln, 1811. 12mo. With 24 numbered engravings (7 x 3 cm) showing the peoples discussed in their traditional costumes, each mounted on a blank leaf. With the engravings coloured as published, as indicated on the title-page. Later gold-tooled half red morocco, red paper over boards, with the title in gold on the spine. 170, [4] pp. Full description

€ 15,000

Anthropology & Ethnography Children's Books Costumes & Uniforms

17th-century Chinese colour drawings

[DRAWING - CHINA]. [A series of 4 Chinese drawings].
[China, ca. 1650/60?]. Colour drawings (3 ca. 28 x 18 cm, the 4th cut down to 16.5 x 17.5 cm), apparently showing Manchurian scenes. Full description

€ 4,500

China

Authentic pictorial record of the first revolts of the Chinese Revolution of 1911

[CHINA - PHOTOGRAPHY - CHINESE REVOLUTION]. War scenes of the Chinese Revolution book 1.
Shanghai, Commercial Press, Limited, [1912?]. Oblong 8vo (15 x 22.5 cm). 160 black-and-white photographs, all protected by tissue paper guards. Original publisher's orange-brown pictorial cloth, marbled endpapers. [1], [1 blank], 40; 40; 40; 40, [2 blank] pp. Full description

€ 6,500

China Greek & Non-Western Types Military History (20th Century) Photography

17 delicate Chinese drawings in bright colours: 5 botanical, 8 zoological and 5 portraits

[CHINA - WATERCOLOUR]. [17 Chinese watercolours made for the export market].
[China, first half of the 19th century]. Collection of 17 Chinese watercolours on Asian paper with chain lines, including 3 of birds seated on a branch, 3 of ensembles of fruit and flowers and 5 of fishes (all ca. 30 x 37 .5 cm); 2 further watercolours, each showing 2 branches of flowers and trees in a drawn oval border (ca. 39 x 30 cm); and 4 watercolours of Chinese people posing with objects (ca. 25 x 21 cm). In a modern gold-tooled dark green morocco clam shell box, in contemporary style. Full description

€ 25,000

Amphibians & Reptiles Birds - Ornithology China Fishes

A history of painting in Italian verse

CHIUSOLE di Roveredo, Adamo. Dell'arte pittorica libri VIII. Coll'aggiunta di componimenti diversi.
Venice, Caroboli & Pompeati Comp., 1768. 8vo (20 x 14 cm). With engraved portait of Cicero on the title-page and several interesting engraved head- and tailpieces (some signed "AF"), including scenes related to the subject of painting. In its first binding, though possibly a few decades after publication: stiff paper wrappers. 296 pp. Full description

€ 3,500

Art & Art History Literature

Splendid views of Brazil, Chile, Hawaii and Polynesia

CHORIS, Louis. Vues et paysages des régions équinoxiales, recueillis dans un voyage autour du monde.
Paris, Paul Renouard, 1826. Folio (ca. 45 x 30 cm). With 24 hand-coloured, full-page, numbered lithographic plates. Contemporary blind-tooled quarter brown goat leather, with the title and author lettered in gold on the spine, brown marbled paper sides, marbled end papers. [6], 32 pp. Full description

€ 28,000

Brazil Chile Circumnavigation City Plans, Topography & Views Hawaii Pacific Islands Prints & Print Series South America Travel & Voyages Pacific Travel & Voyages South America

72 plates with remarkably intricate Islamic-inspired decoration, printed with coloured inks

CLERGET, Charles Ernest. Mélanges d'ornements de tous les styles Persan - Mauresque - Arabe - Grec - Gothique [-] Renaissance principalement des XVIe et XVIIe siècles ...
Paris, Ducher & Cie (colophon: printed by Eugène Heutte & Cie), [ca. 1880 (engraved 1837-1838)]. Royal folio (45 x 31 cm). With 2 elaborately ornamented part-titles, 70 numbered ornament plates (all 72 plates "engraved" on litho stones, image area mostly 26.5 x 17 cm) and a letterpress list of the plates. With each plate printed in blue, green, violet, ochre, red, black or brown (several shades) and 9 printed in 2 colours. Contemporary half red cloth, rebacked and with new corners in red goatskin morocco. [2] ll. plus [1], 37, [1], 38-70 plates. Full description