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Spectacular European Antiquarian Works From Thomas-Scheler A list of books from Librairie Thomas-Scheler. By Michael Stillman Librairie Thomas-Scheler issued a list of books exhibited at the recent New York Antiquarian Book Fair. This collection is certainly appropriate for an antiquarian fair, as most items are very old, including several works of incunabula, and an even older illuminated manuscript. This is not a catalogue for the faint of heart or wallet, but for those who collect on a high level, this is a spectacular collection of works. Here are a few. Item 29 is the first German edition of the earliest collection of voyages, Newe unbekanthe landte Und ein newe weldte... compiled by Francazano de Montalbodo. Published in Nuremberg in 1508, included are journeys by Columbus, da Gama, and Vespucci. It is considered one of the most important publications of early American history extant. Priced at $350,000. It was the master's masterpiece. The Tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmark is probably the best known of all of Shakespeare's plays. First published in 1602, item 37 is the fifth quarto edition, published in London in 1637. $280,000. Item 30 is the source for the word that refers to a perfect world. This is Thomas More's Utopia. Utopia was an imaginary island where people all got along, tolerance was practiced, and people had no need for private property. It would be the ideal on which numerous "utopian" communities were formed, and was likely a model for communism, which hardly lived up to More's ideal. While More may be best remembered for this imaginary land today, it was only a minor diversion from his serious pursuits. More was a devoted member of the Catholic Church, and a devoted servant of King Henry VIII, achieving high positions in government. All of this worked well enough until Henry decided he wanted to dump his wife for another woman, but the Catholic Church refused to grant him an annulment. More tried to walk a thin line between supporting his King and following Church policy, but ultimately, Henry demanded total acceptance of himself as head of the English Church, and More could not give complete assent. Like many others who crossed Henry, More had his head removed from the rest of his body in 1535. Henry's England was not Utopia. Offered is a first edition of this famous work. $500,000.
Spectacular European Antiquarian Works From Thomas-Scheler none Item 1 provides the earliest first-hand description of the Amazon River. Christobal de Acuna was a Jesuit who joined an expedition to explore the river in hopes of finding a shortcut across South America. Pedro Texeira's expedition spent nine months investigating the river. They found it a navigable waterway and the natives for the most part friendly. The explorers returned without major incident, and Acuna went home to write Nuevo Descubrimiento del gran rio de las Amazonas. This first edition was published in 1641. $80,000. Item 22 is described as, "The most beautiful work ever published on pigeons." I'm not sure that this says much, but apparently it is quite an exquisite book, even if the subject matter now seems rather pedestrian. The title is Les Pigeons, and the French author of this 1811 first edition is Pauline Knip. It contains 87 plates taken from original paintings by Madame Knip. $40,000. Rene-Primevere Lesson had a more beautiful bird to work with. His work is Les Trochilidees ou les Colibris et les Oiseaux-Mouches. This book is about very small birds, hummingbirds in particular. Lesson was a French naturalist who signed onto a round the world voyage as a ship's doctor from 1822-25. He wrote several books as a result, but his most noted work is on hummingbirds. This title includes 66 illustrations by some of the best artists of the day. Item 24, circa 1832. $35,000. Here is a notable item of Americana: Relation ou Journal des operations du Corps Francais sous le commandement du Comte de Rochambeau. Count Rochambeau led French forces which assisted the Americans during their revolution. In particular, they aided Washington in his crucial victory at the Battle of Yorktown. Item 35 is a first edition of Rochambeau's account. $75,000. Librairie Thomas-Scheler may be reached by email at basane@thomas-scheler.fr or by phone at +33 1 43 26 97 69.

Spectacular European Antiquarian Works From Thomas-Scheler

A list of books from Librairie Thomas-Scheler.

By Michael Stillman

Librairie Thomas-Scheler issued a list of books exhibited at the recent New York Antiquarian Book Fair. This collection is certainly appropriate for an antiquarian fair, as most items are very old, including several works of incunabula, and an even older illuminated manuscript. This is not a catalogue for the faint of heart or wallet, but for those who collect on a high level, this is a spectacular collection of works. Here are a few.

Item 29 is the first German edition of the earliest collection of voyages, Newe unbekanthe landte Und ein newe weldte... compiled by Francazano de Montalbodo. Published in Nuremberg in 1508, included are journeys by Columbus, da Gama, and Vespucci. It is considered one of the most important publications of early American history extant. Priced at $350,000.

It was the master's masterpiece. The Tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmark is probably the best known of all of Shakespeare's plays. First published in 1602, item 37 is the fifth quarto edition, published in London in 1637. $280,000.

Item 30 is the source for the word that refers to a perfect world. This is Thomas More's Utopia. Utopia was an imaginary island where people all got along, tolerance was practiced, and people had no need for private property. It would be the ideal on which numerous "utopian" communities were formed, and was likely a model for communism, which hardly lived up to More's ideal. While More may be best remembered for this imaginary land today, it was only a minor diversion from his serious pursuits. More was a devoted member of the Catholic Church, and a devoted servant of King Henry VIII, achieving high positions in government. All of this worked well enough until Henry decided he wanted to dump his wife for another woman, but the Catholic Church refused to grant him an annulment. More tried to walk a thin line between supporting his King and following Church policy, but ultimately, Henry demanded total acceptance of himself as head of the English Church, and More could not give complete assent. Like many others who crossed Henry, More had his head removed from the rest of his body in 1535. Henry's England was not Utopia. Offered is a first edition of this famous work. $500,000.

Spectacular European Antiquarian Works From Thomas-Scheler

none

Item 1 provides the earliest first-hand description of the Amazon River. Christobal de Acuna was a Jesuit who joined an expedition to explore the river in hopes of finding a shortcut across South America. Pedro Texeira's expedition spent nine months investigating the river. They found it a navigable waterway and the natives for the most part friendly. The explorers returned without major incident, and Acuna went home to write Nuevo Descubrimiento del gran rio de las Amazonas. This first edition was published in 1641. $80,000.

Item 22 is described as, "The most beautiful work ever published on pigeons." I'm not sure that this says much, but apparently it is quite an exquisite book, even if the subject matter now seems rather pedestrian. The title is Les Pigeons, and the French author of this 1811 first edition is Pauline Knip. It contains 87 plates taken from original paintings by Madame Knip. $40,000.

Rene-Primevere Lesson had a more beautiful bird to work with. His work is Les Trochilidees ou les Colibris et les Oiseaux-Mouches. This book is about very small birds, hummingbirds in particular. Lesson was a French naturalist who signed onto a round the world voyage as a ship's doctor from 1822-25. He wrote several books as a result, but his most noted work is on hummingbirds. This title includes 66 illustrations by some of the best artists of the day. Item 24, circa 1832. $35,000.

Here is a notable item of Americana: Relation ou Journal des operations du Corps Francais sous le commandement du Comte de Rochambeau. Count Rochambeau led French forces which assisted the Americans during their revolution. In particular, they aided Washington in his crucial victory at the Battle of Yorktown. Item 35 is a first edition of Rochambeau's account. $75,000.

Librairie Thomas-Scheler may be reached by email at basane@thomas-scheler.fr or by phone at +33 1 43 26 97 69.