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    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Alken (Henry). Sporting Notions, first edition, T.McLean, 1832-33. £800 to £1,200.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Bardi (Lorenzo). Nuova Raccolta delle piu interessanti Vedute della Citta di Firenze…, Florence, Lorenzo Bardi, [c.1840]. £1,500 to £2,000.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Crawfurd (John). Journal of an Embassy from the Governor-General of India to the Court of Ava..., first edition, 1829. £1,000 to £1,500.
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    27th March 2024
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Dawe (George, engraver). The Life of a Nobleman, first edition, Geo. Henderson, [c.1825]. £1,000 to £1,500.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: [Doyle (John)], "H.B.". Political Sketches &c., 10 vol. including The Descriptive Key to H.B., Thomas McLean, [1829-51]. £4,000 to £6,000.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Eben (Adolphus Christian Frederick, Baron von) and Nicolaus Heideloff. Modèles de l'Uniforme Militaire Adopté dans l'Armée Royale de Suède, Rudolph Ackerman, 1808. £1,500 to £2,000.
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    27th March 2024
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Geissler (J.G.G.) and Friedrich Hempel. Mahlerische Darstellungen der Sitten, Gebrauche und Lustbarkeiten bey den Russischen, Tartarischen…, 4 parts in 1, Leipzig and Paris, [1804]. £1,000 to £1,500.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Hunt (Charles). Portraits of Winning Horses...of the Derby, Oaks, & St. Leger, from the Year 1842 to 1849…, Rock Brothers & Payne, 1849. £1,500 to £2,000.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Kunike (Adolf Friedrich). Zwey hundert und sechzig Donau-Ansichten nach dem Laufe des Donaustromes…, Vienna, Leopold Grund, 1826. £3,000 to £5,000.
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    Colour Plate Books from the Library of Norman Bobins
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    27th March 2024
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Lasinio (Carlo). [Matrimony], Florence, 1790. £1,500 to £2,000.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Reinhardt (Joseph). A Collection of Swiss Costumes, in Miniature, second English edition, James Goodwin, [1828]. £800 to £1,200.
    Forum Auctions, Mar. 27: Wengen (Gottfried Durst von). Die Öffentliche Maskerade Bamberg am Fastnachts-Montage 1833…, Bamberg, [1833]. £2,000 to £3,000.
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    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A RUTH BADER GINSBURG JEWELRY BOX. $600 - $900
    Bonhams, Mar. 22 – Apr. 2: A SET OF JONI MITCHELL LYRICS FOR "IF I HAD A HEART." $2,000 - $3,000
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Rare Book Monthly

Articles - May - 2012 Issue

Chronicle of a “Fort-Rare” Book...

D’Aceilly's poems.

Voltaire wrote that the discovery of the New World was probably the most important event of our globe, and he would surely say that the internet revolution equals it. This New virtual World affects every aspect of our lives – including the most important one, tracking down old books. Thanks to digitalized libraries, free access to the catalogues of booksellers from all over the world and the descriptions of auction sales, one hardly needs to leave his home in order to conduct some research on a specific book. This I experienced lately, trying to “corner” a French book of poetry said to be “fort-rare”, very rare, and happening to be a complex riddle in itself. Ready... Google... Sent.

Diverse Little Poems of the knight D’Aceilly. 1667.

Rare, scare, very scarce… These adjectives often follow a book description but what does it really mean (apart from the fact that it might be expensive, I mean) ? It is well-known, and widely deplored, that almost no records have been kept of the amount of books printed in the 17th or 18th century. It is said that 4,000 copies of the Encyclopédie of D’Alembert were printed but we have no clue of the figures for a vast majority of books – mostly regarding those of a relative popularity like the one I am about to talk : Diverses Petites Poésies du Chevalier d’Aceilly. The first edition, Cramoisy, 1667, 1 vol. in-12, was noted as very scarce in David Clément’s “hard to find books” listing, as soon as 1750 : “ Mr De Cailly had his poems printed under the anagram of D’Aceilly. They are short and quite nice. This book has become fort-rare (very rare) but was reprinted with the travel of Mr Bachaumont and La Chapelle, Amsterdam – 1708.” Three years later, the German catalogue established by Widekind even stated that this book was “impossible to find”. When Charles Nodier, a very famous French writer and publisher of the 19th century , decided to reprint it, he couldn’t find a copy of this first edition, as confessed in the preface of his 1825 edition (Paris, Delangle). He probably copied the poems from “ the excellent Recueil de Pièces Choisies by La Monnoye (La Haye, 1714 – 2 vol. In-12).” He later found a few copies, as testified in a handwritten note he left behind : “ Why is the first edition of these charming poems, the rarest of all our little classics ? Here is the very little known reason : De Cailly who had a lot of copies (...) wrote Premier Volume (Volume the first) on the frontispiece – nothing could have been more disastrous for the book [most buyers probably thought the book was incomplete as such, editor’s note]. At the bottom of the same frontispiece, he added Et se donnent au Palais (Given at Le Palais); everybody took his word for it. People refused to give money for what was given away. Realizing his mistake, D’Aceilly tried to correct it but ended up doing another one. He had all the frontispieces of his books scrapped, which only brought disgrace to the books that were pulp soon after. (...) In forty years’ time, I have come across 5 copies only, two with their frontispieces, and three without them. I had never seen this first edition when I put out mine.” Nodier had apparently taken this book and its author out of darkness. But when a copy of the fort-rare first edition recently appeared on the auction sales website Ebay.fr, all became... very blurry.

DISASTROUS PREMIER VOLUME

Rare does not mean good. Many books have become rare just because they were not good – they did not sell, so only a few copies have been around. The poems of D’Aceilly are not just fort-rares, they are also “ fort-good”. I discovered them a few years ago, as I was absolutely not looking for them. The travel book Voyage de La Chapelle is a best-seller of the 17th century, relating a travel to the French region of Provence. Described as an entertaining reading, it was gently criticized as over-estimated by Voltaire. Voltaire is not always right so I decided to make my own opinion. A humble edition, Amsterdam, 1751, in-12, a very nice copy, cost me 40 euros. Of the travel of Mr La Chapelle, I can not say much, I forgot about it – Voltaire is always right. But I was very impressed by the Diverses Poésies du Chevalier D’Aceilly added to the voyage (for some reason, from the edition of 1708 onwards, the poems of D’Aceilly have regularly been added to this travel.). I had never heard about the author either; but his poems soon found their way to my night stand where they remained for weeks. “D’Aceilly wit soon made him famous both in town and at Court and he made friends with a lot of persons of merit, wrote Briasson in his Bibliothèque Poétique (Paris, 1745 – 4 vol. in-12). On the recommandation of Mr Colbert, Louis XIV awarded him the cross of the Knights of Saint Michel. Of his numerous epigrams only a few are mediocre and the vast majority are remarkable by their naïve style. Satisfied with his condition, he was running away from what others would ardently seek. Happy was he to favour a peaceful and confortable life over pride and ambition ! He was from one of the most dignified families of Orléans, which is still proud of his ancestor. No one knows the exact date of his death.” Nodier said he died in 1673, aged 69. “The witty remarks of this poet, continued Nodier in his preface, sometimes a bit rude, remind us of the libertine philosophy all classical ages have permitted, but are never obscene. To end up, he fights ridiculousness with acridity but never attacks people...” In his own words, D’Aceilly explained he did not intend to print his works : “ I dared not to submit my poems to universal judgement and it took me years to make up my mind.” The book was printed with care, using a different headpiece for each page and some simple but very nice initial letters. D’Aceilly’s verses are well written, their rythms are stirring. He apllied the French “ préciosité ”, or courtesy, of the time to some ordinary (Nodier said “rude”) topics. Here are four epigrams of his (for all I know, D’Aceilly has never been translated into English, which is a shame, so I did translate those myself, caring not so much about rimes nor feet) :

Of Lanssay

When you talk about Lanssay,

And I have nothing to say,

Don’t be offended as you seem,

That’s all the good I know of him.

Of Janeton

Janeton, says the hoax,

To Luc did give the pox,

It is a lie, I assure,

Janeton charged him for sure,

Of Macette’s teeth

Don’t you wonder Macette

Her teeth so bright has kept,

Most of the time they’ve spent

Hidden in a casket.

To Isabelle

When mother quarrels you,

Vile girl, said she to you,

You are no good,

Her words are rude,

Let her talk, Isabelle,

Your mother knows you well.

Rare Book Monthly

  • Potter & Potter Auctions
    How History Unfolds on Paper:
    Choice Selections from the Eric C. Caren Collection
    Part IX
    April 18, 2024
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: [RUTH, George Herman “Babe” (1895-1948)]. Signed photograph. Circa 1930s. 191 x 248 mm. $1,500 to $2,500.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: HARRISON, Benjamin. Document signed (“Benj Harrison”) as governor of Virginia, certifying the service of Daniel Cumbo, a Black Revolutionary soldier. $6,000 to $9,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: ONE OF THE FIRST PRINTED ANNOUNCEMENTS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. $4,000 to $6,000.
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    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: FIRST PRINTING OF LINCOLN’S IMMORTAL GETTYSBURG ADDRESS. $4,000 to $6,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: HIGHLY IMPORTANT MORMON ARCHIVE. ALLEY, George. Archive of 23 Autograph Letters Signed by Mormon Convert George Alley to His Brother Joseph Alley. $10,000 to $20,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: [AVIATION]. [ARMSTRONG, Neil A.] Aviation Hall of Fame Gold Medal MS64 NGC, Awarded to Neil Armstrong in 1979. $2,000 to $3,000.
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    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: NEWLY DISCOVERED FIRST PRINTING OF "WITH MALICE TOWARDS NONE... " FROM THE ONLY NEWSPAPER ACTUALLY ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN LINCOLN’S SECOND INAUGURAL PROCESSION. $4,000 to $8,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: THE MOST IMPORTANT GEORGE WASHINGTON DOCUMENT IN PRIVATE HANDS; GEORGE WASHINGTON’S COMMISSION AS COMMANDER IN CHIEF, 1775, ONE OF ONLY TWO ORIGINALS. $150,000 to $250,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: A VERY RARE ACCOUNT OF BLACKBEARD’S DEATH AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIRATE ITEMS EXTANT. $3,000 to $5,000.
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    April 18, 2024
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: EDISON, Thomas. Patent for Edison’s Improvements on the Electric-Light, No. 219,628. [Washington, D.C.: U.S. Patent Office], 16 September 1879. $2,000 to $3,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: [VIETNAM WAR]. The original pen used by Secretary of State William P. Rogers to sign the Vietnam Peace Agreement, Paris, 27 January 1973. $10,000 to $15,000.
    Potter & Potter, Apr. 18: SONS OF LIBERTY FOUNDER COLONEL BARRÉ ANNOTATED TITLE-PAGE, “WHICH OUGHT TO ROUSE UP BRITISH ATTENTION”. $4,000 to $6,000.
  • Forum Auctions
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    28th March 2024
    Forum Mar. 28: [Langland (William)]. The vision of Pierce Plowman, nowe the seconde time imprinted..., Roberte Crowley, 1550. £8,000 to £10,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: [Shakespeare (William)]. [Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies], second folio edition, [by Tho.Cotes, for Robert Allot], [1632]. £30,000 to £40,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Bible, Czech Biblia Bohemica, first complete Bible printed in the Czech vernacular, Prague, August 1488. £30,000 to £40,000.
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    28th March 2024
    Forum Mar. 28: Shabthai Tzvi.- Collection of four printed and illustrated broadsides detailing the appearance, rise and fall of the false messiah, Shabthai Tzvi, Augsburg, 1666-67. £40,000 to £60,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Leaf from the Beauvais Missal, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on parchment, [Northern France (perhaps Beauvais or Amiens)], [fourteenth century (c.1310)]. £4,000 to £6,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Aubrey (John). [Remaines of Gentilisme and Judaisme], manuscript in English, Latin and Greek, [c. 1693]. £30,000 to £50,000.
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    28th March 2024
    Forum Mar. 28: Byron (George Gordon Noel, Lord). Poems on Various Occasions, first edition, Harriet Maltby's copy, Newark, Printed by S. & J. Ridge, 1807. £30,000 to £40,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Hobbit, first edition, second impression with dust-jacket, 1937 [but 1938]. £7,000 to £10,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Blake (William).- Thornton (Robert John). The Pastorals of Virgil, 2 vol., engraved plates by William Blake, 1821. £8,000 to £12,000.
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    28th March 2024
    Forum Mar. 28: America.- Mount (William J.) & Thomas Page. The English Pilot…, [bound with] The Fourth Book, describing The West Indies Navigation from Hudson's-Bay to the River Amazones, 1721. £20,000 to £30,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Oldfield (Henry Ambrose), Rajman Singh Chitrakar & others. An album of 160 photographs and 13 original artworks, (1833-1919), [c. 1850s-1880s]. £20,000 to £30,000.
    Forum Mar. 28: Audubon (John James) [and William MacGillivray]. Ornithological Biography…, 5 vol., first edition, presentation copy inscribed by Audubon, Edinburgh, 1831-49 [i.e. 1831-39]. £10,000 to £15,000.

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