Shelf Life: Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper from the Library of Stanley J. Seeger and Christopher Cone

William Shakespeare Tragedy of Hamlet. London: J.M. Dent, 1915 16mo (128 x 98mm), frontispiece, SEVERAL PASSAGES CROSSED OUT IN RED AND BLACK INK OR IN PENCIL IN GUINNESS'S HAND, these extensive textual revisions, presumably for performance, to about 60 pages in total (excluding pages which only have amendments to scene and act numbers), publisher's roan, housed in a modern cloth case, front cover detached, backstrip split and a few gatherings loose A REMARKABLE COPY OF SHAKESPEARE'S MAGNUM OPUS, OWNED BY THE LEGENDARY ENGLISH ACTOR SIR ALEC GUINNESS. Guinness starred in several productions of Hamlet throughout the course of his professional career. John Gielgud cast the then 22-year-old as Osric in a 1934 New Theatre production: Guinness's "first real part" in a West End play (ODNB). Guinness first played the Dane himself in a famous—but controversial—modern-dress staging at the Old Vic Theatre in London, directed by Tyrone Guthrie. He returned to the titular role in a self-directed 1951 New Theatre production. It seems most plausible that the present copy was annotated by Guinness in preparation for the 1951 production. Several lines initially crossed out in pencil or black ink have subsequently been re-annotated in red ink accompanied by the word "stet" in the margin (denoting that these passages were initially cut from the script but subsequently re-added). Reflecting upon the production at the culmination of its six week run, Guinness agonised over his directorial decision not to excise more of the text: "Very little of the play was cut. Maybe this was a mis-judgement for it has only recently occurred to me that perhaps Elizabethan audiences were able to stomach long entertainments for the simple reason that they were in the open air" (Guinness, "My Idea of Hamlet", The Spectator, 6 July 1951). PROVENANCE: Alec Guinness (1914–2000), pencil ownership inscription to front free endpaper; "Kenneth Wilkinson | from D.W.", crossed-out ink ownership inscription to front free endpaper; Donald and Mary Hyde, bookplate; sale, Christie's New York, 14 April 2004, lot 85

View 1 of Lot 68: Sir Alec Guinness | His marked-up copy of Hamlet

sir alec guinness | his marked-up copy of hamlet

Christoph Willibald Gluck Autograph manuscript of part of the celebrated air “J’ai perdu mon Eurydice” from Orphée et Eurydice A WORKING DRAFT DIVERGING FROM THE FIRST EDITION, including changes to the music and text, beginning with the accompanied recitative for Eurydice and Orphée (“[Reçois] donc mes derniers adieux”), including Orphée’s fatal backward glance and Eurydice’s death, and concluding with the opening twenty-five bars of Orphée’s air (up to the Adagio “C’est ton amant”), in score, for voices and instruments, notated in dark brown ink on three five-stave systems per page, some annotations in pencil and red crayon, with deletions, smudging, and alterations, the manuscript extensively reworked by the composer, including a revision of the passage leading up to Eurydice’s death, notated on a single stave at the foot of the first page, with some earlier passages, diverging from the final published versions, still legible (including “objet de mes amours”) 4 pages, folio (c. 300 x 230 mm), 16-stave paper, [1774], a few minor tears, a little paper loss caused by oxidation of the ink, some spotting and staining, strengthened at spine THIS IS THE AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT OF ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS ARIAS IN ALL OPERA; IT IS WITHOUT DOUBT THE MOST IMPORTANT MANUSCRIPT BY GLUCK TO HAVE BEEN OFFERED AT AUCTION. This is a working manuscript, containing Gluck’s draft of the crucial scene preceding Orphée’s famous air, where, having been forbidden to look back at Eurydice as he leads her out of the underworld, the hero finds he is unable to resist her plaintive cries, glances at her, and causes her death. Gluck has deleted early versions of several passages in Orphée’s part and extensively remodelled them, the earlier drafts still visible under his heavy deletions; some of these reveal different words as well as different music from the final versions known today. The moment of Eurydice’s death is underscored by the momentary singing together of the two voices (not found in the Italian version), and this too is subject to deletions and revisions. Gluck deletes the first version of the words and writes the revision at the foot of the page (“Eu Orfée o Ciel je Meurs”). Even the words of Orphée’s “J’ai perdu mon Eurydice” are different, the second line “…rien n’égale mon Malheur” here given as “j’ai perdu tout mon bonheur”; similarly the words “c’est ton Epoux” of the Adagio are given here as “c’est ton amant”. Gluck originally wrote Orfeo ed Euridice as an opera in Italian (Vienna, 1762), with the hero sung by a castrato. No autograph manuscript survives: the first edition is the primary source for the Vienna version. The composer greatly amplified the opera for Paris in 1774, rewriting the hero’s part for haut-contre (a high tenor). There is no complete autograph manuscript of the Paris version, though sections survive in Paris, Berlin and Stanford, amounting to roughly two-thirds of the score. In the present manuscript, Orphée’s part is notated in the alto clef, although the composer mistakenly began writing part of the opening of the air in the tenor clef. This air has been celebrated as a star vehicle for mezzo sopranos and contraltos from Pauline Viardot in the nineteenth century to the present. It was especially beloved in this country as “What is life to me without thee?”, as sung by the great contralto Kathleen Ferrier. PROVENANCE: Sale in these rooms, 3 December 2008, lot 35

View 1 of Lot 61: Christoph Willibald Gluck | Autograph manuscript of part of the celebrated air 'J’ai perdu mon Eurydice' from "Orphée et Eurydice", 1774 

christoph willibald gluck | autograph manuscript of part of the celebrated air 'j’ai perdu mon eurydice' from "orphée et eurydice", 1774

Books, Manuscripts & Music, from Medieval to Modern

Michael Servetus A manuscript copy of De trinitatis erroribus. France, early eighteenth-century 4to (207 x 170 mm), c. 228pp., plus blanks, n.d., manuscript title, eighteenth-century red morocco gilt, spine gilt with gilt-lettered black morocco label, marbled endpapers, edges gilt, rebacked retaining parts of original spine, corners rubbed and bumped, hinges starting An unusual manuscript copy of Michael Servetus’ rare first book De trinitatis erroribus, published in 1531. Servetus (1509?-1553) was a Spanish Renaissance humanist and polymath. He is today primarily remembered as being the first European to describe the circulation of the blood from the heart to the lungs — just one of many remarkable anatomical observations described in his Christianismi Restitutio (1553). During his lifetime, however, Servetus was known primarily for his profoundly unorthodox theological views. De trinitatis erroribus rejects the concept of the Trinity that had been Christian orthodoxy since the Nicene Creed of the fourth century: to Servetus, Jesus was the son of the eternal God rather than the eternal son of God. Servetus's heterodox beliefs made him a target for both Catholics and most Protestants. He was condemned by the Inquisition in France in 1553 and condemned to be burnt at the stake, but he escaped from prison and travelled to Geneva, despite knowing of Calvin's deep antipathy to his views. He was duly convicted of heresy by the Calvinist authorities and on 27 October 1553 was burnt to death on a pyre of his own books. The persecution to which Servetus was subjected made his printed works rare, but his theological ideas took on a new relevance as Unitarian beliefs began to grow in Western Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. He was taken up by Unitarians as an early proponent of their creed who had come to his beliefs through the western church. De trinitatis erroribus was not reprinted until 1721, nearly two hundred years after the first edition, and the appetite for the book amongst Unitarians was instead largely satisfied by the circulation of unauthorised scribal copies such as this one. Loosely inserted is a letter from R.A. Wilson, Keeper, British Museum Department of Printed Books, confirming that this is a copy of Servetus’s work.

View 1 of Lot 41: Michael Servetus | A manuscript copy of De trinitatis erroribus. France, early eighteenth-century

michael servetus | a manuscript copy of de trinitatis erroribus. france, early eighteenth-century

PROVENANCE: 1. Made in the last quarter of the 15th century, part of a large choir book, illustrating the line from Psalm 53 in which the fool is one who denies God: ‘The fool says in his heart “There is no God.”‘ . 2. Captain John Henry Ball (d.1938): his red stamp on the reverse. Acquired probably in the 1920s and placed on deposit with his substantial collection of antiquities, arms and armour, and medieval items, at the Hertfordshire Museum, St Albans. By descent to: 3. His son, John Brayfield Ball (d.1940); bought by Capt. Ball’s executor, Sydney Edward Lucas (d.1970), by whom withdrawn from the Museum and sold at: 4. Christie's, London, May 16, 1961, probably part of lot 146 (the figure identified as Lazarus) bought by Rogers. 5. Collection of Karl and Elizabeth Katz, their sale at Christie’s: Script and Illumination: Featuring the Karl and Elizabeth Katz Collection on12th Dec 2017, lot 27. One of the Middle Ages’ most popular and ever present figures: the Fool, in an elegant pink initial ‘D’ COMMENTARY: Against a blue ground decorated with swirling white tracings stands the figure of a happy fool, safely encased by the soft pink body of a letter ‘D’ with white leaf-like embellishments. The male figure is dressed in a grey tunic that is coming apart at the seams, carrying a club and wearing a cap of very faintly visible feathers. His gaze is turned upwards, to heavens, unaware of where his next step is going to take him — off a cliff or into the next adventure? The fool was a central figure in the imagination and visual landscape of the Middle Ages, from murals to paintings, to card games, human foolishness embodied in the figure of the fool was ever present. In liturgical manuscripts, the fool was traditionally used to illustrate the introduction of Psalm 53, opening with Dixit insipiens in corde suo (‘The fool said in his heart’) where he took centre stage. Our content looking figure can be attributed to the artist Antonio Maria da Villafora, who was active in Padua for an extensive period from 1469 until his death in 1511 (Armstrong 2018, p.76). Payment records survive for a Missal illuminated in his hand and a copy of the Speculum Humanae Salvationis by Vicent Beauvais and Antonio Maria is further documented in 1482 at the University of Padua, where he worked as an illuminator attached to the faculty of law (cf. Bagatini 2001). Besides working for individual patrons, such as Pietro Barozzi, Bishop of Padua (1489–1505), whose manuscripts and incunabula are now in the Biblioteca Capitolare in Padua, he also worked on monastic commissions of impressive liturgical books. In his later years he almost exclusively worked for the Benedictine congregation of San Giustina in Pada (Canova 1978, Bagatin 2001, Bollati 1994, p.69–73) for whom he illuminated a number of psalters — now held at Padua, Biblioteca Civica, ms.811, 812. In Gnaccolini’s Dizionario biografico dei miniatori italiani, Antonio Maria is praised as the leading figure of the Paduan Renaissance for the volume, continuity, and high quality of his output. (Gnaccolini 2004, pp.36-9). His recognisable style is marked by the strong features of his human figures, often with slightly upturned noses as exemplified by the figure of the fool in our initial. The portrait also demonstrates his careful modelling of faces which is achieved through multiple layers of brushstrokes — a technique that Villafora perfected towards the end of his career. The depiction of the fool is a clear foreshadowing of this artistic trajectory and pinnacle of his work. LITERATURE: Alexander, J. J. G. The Decorated Letter. New York: George Braziller, 1978, nos.17–18. Alexander, J. J. G., and A. C. de la Mare. The Italian Manuscripts in the Library of Major J. R. Abbey. London: Faber and Faber, 1969, 109. Bagatin, Pier Luigi. Antonio Maria da Villafora: tra università, curia e monasteri, un miniatore ritrovato. Antilia. Treviso: Antilia, 2001. Bradley, John W. A Dictionary of Miniaturists, Illuminators, Calligraphers, and Copyists. 3 vols. London, 1887–1889. D’Ancona, Paolo, and Hans Aeschlimann. Miniature Painting. Milan, 1949. De Ricci, Seymour. Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada. 3 vols. New York: H. W. Wilson, 1935–1940, vol. 2, 1337. Fumian, Silvia. Gli incunaboli miniati e xilografati della Biblioteca Capitolare di Padova. Fonti e ricerche di storia ecclesiastica padovana 38. Padua: Istituto per la storia ecclesiastica padovana, 2014, 49–63, 157–227. Gnaccolini, Laura Paola. Dizionario biografico dei miniatori italiani. Milan: Editrice Bibliografica, 2004. —. “Antonio Maria da Villafora.” In Dizionario biografico dei miniatori italiani, 36–40. Kidd, Peter. “Medieval Manuscripts from the Collection of Captain Jack Ball.” In Beyond Words: New Research on Manuscripts in Boston Collections, edited by Jeffrey F. Hamburger, Lisa Fagin Davis, Anne E. McGee Morgan, Nancy Netzer, and William P. Stoneman. Turnhout: Brepols, 2016. Mariani Canova, Giordana. Miniatura veneta del Rinascimento. Venice: Neri Pozza, 1969, 80–96, 96, 130–136, 134–135, 163, cat. 117. New York, The Art of the Renaissance Book (exh. cat.). New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2005–2006, no. 30, 154–157. Padua, Biblioteca Capitolare: Manuscripts of the Renaissance (exh. cat.). Padua, 1999, nos. 139–142, 153–165, 167. Walther, Ingo F. Codices illustres: The World’s Most Famous Illuminated Manuscripts. Cologne: Taschen, 2001, 386–389. The Art of the Renaissance Book. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2005.

View 1 of Lot 74: Illuminated Manuscript—Initial ‘D’ from a choir book illuminated by Antonio Maria da Villafora, (North-Eastern Italy, Padua), last quarter 15th century

illuminated manuscript—initial ‘d’ from a choir book illuminated by antonio maria da villafora, (north-eastern italy, padua), last quarter 15th century

A collection of five Italian leaves containing neumes from the 12th century

A collection of five Italian leaves containing neumes from the 12th century This selection comprises five leaves: A leaf from a Noted Missal, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum (Southern Italy, Montecassino), early 12th century.A bifolium from a Gradual, in Latin, decorated manuscript on vellum (Central or Southern Italy), c.1100–1140.A bifolium from a Missal, in Latin, manuscript on vellum (Central Italy, Rome?), second half of the 12th century.A leaf and a fragment from a Beneventan Antiphonal, in Latin, decorated manuscript on vellum (Italy, Abruzzi), c.1200.A leaf from an Antiphonal, in Latin, decorated manuscript on vellum (Italy, Abruzzo), c.1200. COMMENTARY All five leaves are handsome examples of Italian musical notation and provide valuable insight into differing scribal traditions and liturgical manuscript production in twelfth-century Italy. Originating from various centres of production — Montecassino, Rome, and Abruzzo — and deriving from a range of liturgical manuscripts, the fragments offer a rare opportunity to compare regional practices within a single collection. Varying in size and format, the leaves also shed light on the types of manuscripts used within monastic communities. At the same time, they reveal the regional character of Italian scribal traditions, bringing together striking Beneventan script and notation alongside Italianate Carolingian minuscule. The survival of these fragments bears witness both to the high level of craftsmanship of Italian scriptoria and to the complex later histories of medieval manuscripts. Many liturgical manuscripts eventually found their way into the workshops of bookbinders, who repurposed obsolete liturgical manuscripts for their precious vellum. As a group, the fragments form a coherent ensemble and offer a rare and tangible glimpse into the written and musical culture of medieval Italy. They do not merely transmit text, but preserve traces of the sung liturgy, providing direct insight into how sacred texts were performed. 1. A leaf from a Noted Missal, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum (Southern Italy, Montecassino), early 12th century A single leaf, c.260 × 180 mm, blind-ruled for 29 lines written in a very fine, regular Beneventan minuscule of Montecassino type, in a large and smaller almost interlinear type sizes, ruled space c. 200 × 120 mm; including six lines of music in Beneventan adiastematic neumes; capitals with red, yellow, and green highlighting; six large initials in primary colours on fields of blue, green, and yellow; three larger illuminated initials with interlacing foliate designs in liquid gold, edged in red, with blue infill in the interstices; some staining and minor fading. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF BENEVENTAN SCRIPT AND ILLUMINATION, DERIVING FROM AND EXCEPTIONALLY FINE MISSAL WITH EARLY MUSCIAL NOTATION IN THE MONTECASSINO STYLE PROVENANCE The Missal was produced in the renowned scriptorium of the Benedictine Abbey of Montecassino.At least two — likely all — of the known surviving leaves were owned by Erik von Scherling (c.1935), who reported in correspondence with Professor B. L. Ullman that they originated from Neapolitan archives, where they had been reused as wrappers.A sister leaf (a bifolium) was in the collection of E. A. Lowe (1879–1969; Princeton, MS 4), who described it as being in the “best Monte Cassino style” (see A New List, 1962, p. 232). Lowe remains one of the founding figures of palaeography. Other leaves passed through the collections of Otto F. Ege (1888-1951), sold at Sotheby's 26 November 1985, lot 41; the other was sold at Sotheby's, 14 July 1981, lot 9, acquired by Bernard Rosenthal (1920–2017), subsequently his 'I/220'.Bernard Quaritch Ltd., Bookhands of the Middle Ages IV: Beneventan Script, cat. 1128 (1990), no.12, acquired May 1988.Schøyen Collection, MS 55. The use of opaque colour and the intricate gold initials mark this manuscript as a luxurious commission. The text of our fragment includes portions of the Sanctorale, notably the feasts of Sts Processus and Martinian and the Octave of the Apostles. SCRIPT The Abbey of Montecassino was a leading centre for the development and dissemination of the Beneventan script under the abbots Theobald (1022–1035) and Richerus (1038–1055). Over the course of the 10th and 11th centuries, the Beneventan script had evolved into distinct regional variants, notably the Bari and the Cassinese types. The illuminated initials, with red and blue infill and extenders ending in trefoil or heart-shaped leaves, belong to the so-called “new style” associated with Abbot Desiderius. We can find close comparables in manuscripts such as Montecassino 99 (dated 1072) and Vat. lat. 1202 (dated 1072–86). 2. A partial bifolium from a Gradual, in Latin, decorated manuscript on vellum (Central or Southern Italy), c.1100-1140 c.206 × 286 mm; 10 lines written in a fine late Carolingian minuscule, blind-ruled; Beneventan-style musical notation with a red F-line and a yellow C-line; headings in red; capitals touched in red; one interlaced white-vine initial ‘E’ outlined in red and infilled with blue, yellow, and green; The leaf was reused as a pastedown, resulting in wear and discoloration to the verso, some worming to extremities, cropping to outer margins. A SURVIVAL FROM A FINELY EXECUTED GRADUAL AND CLEAR EXAMPLE OF EARLY 12TH-CENTURY BENEVENTAN MUSICAL NOTATION PROVENANCE 1. Robert Wölfle, Munich, purchased in May 1980 by: 2. Bernard Rosenthal, his 'I/264'. 3. Bernard Quaritch, Bookhands of the Middle Ages III, cat.1088 (1988), no 41. 4. Schøyen Collection, MS 99. TEXT The text contains parts of the Office for Sundays after Pentecost, beginning on the first recto with the Offertory for the 7th Sunday after Pentecost: [sacrifici]um nostrum in conspectu tuo hodie; ending on the verso in the introit for the 9th Sunday after Pentecost Ecce deus adiuvat me et dominus susceptor est anime [meae]; continuing on the second recto with the Gradual for the 12th Sunday after Pentecost [Benedicam Dominum in] omni tempore and ending with the introit for the 13th Sunday after Pentecost iudica causam tuam et ne obliviscaris [voces quaerentium te]. SCRIPT AND MUSIC Written in a very fine Carolingian minuscule, the text is beautifully laid out on the page. In the right lower corner, we find an elegant interlacing white vine initial infilled with shades of blue, green, and yellow. In addition to the usual rubrication, initial letters are highlighted in red. The musical notation recalls Beneventan forms (cf. first fragment) but the script adheres to the older Carolingian traditions. Another beautiful feature are the stave lines rendered in red for F and yellow for C offering another decorative feature. 3. A bifolium from a Missal, in Latin, manuscript on vellum (Central Italy, Rome?), second half 12th century A bifolium (c. 335 × 454 mm, modern pencil foliation and earlier ink foliation not followed here, 25-26 lines), written in dark brown ink in a rounded Carolingian minuscule, ruled space: 247 x 138mm, rubrics and with abundant rubrication and large red initials; lower corner repaired, leaves a little darkened, margins slightly worn, otherwise in very good condition. A LARGE BIFOLIUM FROM A CENTRAL ITALIAN MISSAL WITH COPIUS RUBRICATION PROVENANCE Bernard Rosenthal, his I/10. A printed note that accompanies the lot says that it was probably a gift from Albi Rosenthal (1914-2004) in 1956.Bernard Quaritch, Medieval Manuscript Leaves, cat. 1147 (1991), no.52, acquired in 1991 by:Schøyen Collection, MS 1377. TEXT The fragment provides the text for the Masses for Sundays in Advent to Friday of Ember Days f.1-1v: Excita quesumus domine potentiam tuam [...] to Muneribus nostris quesumus Domine precibus susceptis et celestibus nos munda mysteriis et cle[menter exaudi]; on f.2-2v, Wednesday at the Beginning of Lent to Saturday after Ash Wednesday: [ut omnes qui eos] ad misericordiam tuam deprecandam super capita [...] to Adest domine supplicationibus nostris et hoc sol[emne]. SCRIPT Parallel to the leaf’s impressive size, the script is a large, upright 12th-century Carolingian minuscule, deliberately and distinctively written. A large uncial initial E opens the leaf embellished with four red dots. Alongside the text, six large red initials introduce the beginning of each section. Placing the initials outside the text block is a visual reference to late antique manuscripts which placed the initial slightly apart from the text. The parchment of the leaf has an almost velvet quality with its lower edges being smoothed by being turned by countless hands. 4. A leaf from a Beneventan Antiphonal, in Latin, decorated manuscript on vellum (Italy, Abruzzi), c.1200 One large leaf in form of a wallet binding (c. 393 × 203 mm) and one strip; the leaf: c.393 x 203mm, 8 partial lines written in a large, rounded Beneventan minuscule, 8 lines of Beneventan neumes on a single red F-staff; seven rubricated initials, one large foliate initial, and smaller initial letters highlighted in red and yellow; the strip: c.200 x 53mm, 4 lines of text and 5 of music, rubrication and one partial, large initial in foliate design; both fragments recovered from bindings; with horizontal creases due to later use as binding, a few stains and smudges, margins cropped with loss of text. CHARMING FRAGMENTS FROM A LARGE ANTIPHONAL FROM ABRUZZO, WITH BENEVENTAN SCRIPT AND NOTATION TEXT The text of the larger leaf is for Feria 3-4 before the Nativity, starting on the current verso as bound from [Ut cognoscamus Domine, in terra viam tuam, in omnibus] gentibus salutare tuum to Propter Sion non tacebo donec [eg]rediatur ut splendor iustus eius. Laudemus. The text of the strip follows, with Feria 5-6: the large decorated C opens Feria 6: Constantes [estote videbitis auxilium] domini. SCRIPT AND MUSIC For the modern reader, it is one of the more difficult medieval scripts to decipher, as many of the letter-forms are unfamiliar, e.g. the e shaped like a figure 8 with an open lower bowl, a is shaped similar to a Greek alpha, which can be confused with the letter t which looks like an oc-ligature. Its stylised and unique letter forms make the Beneventan into a very attractive and distinct script that immediately reveals its origins. The music encompassed in the leaf, is of Beneventan type and executed on a single red F-staff. This fragment in particular offers insight into the “afterlife” of medieval manuscripts, after their liturgical content became obsolete. The fragment at hand was used as a wallet binding for a notarial manuscript in a 16th-century Italian chancellery. While the dismantling of the manuscript is a sad reality, its parts continued to be used and of use for centuries, until the tide of history turned again in the 19th century, when fragments became appreciated in their own right as important historic artefacts. 5. A leaf from an Antiphonal, in Latin, decorated manuscript on vellum (Italy, Abruzzi), c.1200 c. 226 ×152mm, single leaf, 9 lines, written in brown ink in a compact Beneventan minuscule, 9 lines of Beneventan neumes, blind-ruled, rubrics in red, a capital touched in red, 6 capitals infilled in red and green; a large decorated initial D outlined in red and infilled with pale yellow, olive-green, blue wash and gold; edges slightly frayed, recovered from a binding and with horizontal crease across the middle, a few holes and stains. AN ATTRACTIVE AND REFINED EXAMPLE OF BENEVENTAN MINUSCULE AND NEUMES IN A SMALLER FORMAT PROVENANCE Sotheby's, 22 June 1993, lot 17, to Quaritch.Schøyen Collection, MS 1684. TEXT The text is from the end of the Feast of St Sebastian (20 January) and the opening of the Feast of St Agnes, Discede a me pabulum mortis [...] (21 January); from [Ad hanc vocem Christi martyris Sebastiani] illico apertum est os uxoris Nicostrati to [...] et glorifico nomen tuum in eternum. The leaf stems from a mobile and compact Antiphonal which was meant for individual use while its much larger peers were created for the use in choro. SCRIPT AND MUSIC The leaf was published in Virginia Brown's A second new list of Beneventan Manuscripts, where it is dated to the 12th century. The script is the typical script of Montecassino. For the modern reader, it is one of the more difficult medieval scripts to decipher, as many of the letter-forms are unfamiliar, e.g. the e shaped like a figure 8 with an open lower bowl, a is shaped similar to a Greek alpha, which can be confused with the letter t which looks like an oc-ligature. Its stylised and unique letter forms make the Beneventan into a very attractive and distinct script that immediately reveals its origins. It is great example of the Montecassino type which is in this iteration small and compact to make the best possible use of the space available. The music follows the script and is arranged along a single red line for the F note. LITERATURE V. Brown, ‘A Second New List of Beneventan Manuscripts (II)’, Mediaeval Studies, 50 (1988), p.615. Répertoire des catalogues de manuscrits en ecriture latine anterieurs a 1600,10 (1990), p.8, no 42. Bibliografia dei manoscritti in scrittura beneventana. Rome: Viella, 1994. S. Gwara, Otto Ege’s Manuscripts: a study of Ege’s manuscript collections, portfolios, and retail trade, with a comprehensive handlist of manuscripts collected or sold (Cayce, SC: De Brailles, 2013), pp. 171 and 317 (his HL 167). Comité International de Palaéographie Latin (CIPL) at Senate House, University of London, 3 September 2008. Brown, Virginia. “A Second New List of Beneventan Manuscripts (III).” Mediaeval Studies 56 (1994): 317–318. Brown, Virginia. “A Second New List of Beneventan Manuscripts (II).” Mediaeval Studies 50 (1988): 615. Comité International de Paléographie Latine (CIPL). Exhibition catalogue.A Second New List of Beneventan Manuscripts (III)’, Mediaeval Studies, 56, (1994), p.317. Gwara, Scott. Otto Ege’s Manuscripts: A Study of Ege’s Manuscript Collections, Portfolios, and Retail Trade, with a Comprehensive Handlist of Manuscripts Collected or Sold. Cayce, SC: De Brailes, 2013. Répertoire des catalogues de manuscrits en écriture latine antérieurs à 1600. List no. Turnhout: Brepols, 1990.

View 1 of Lot 17: A collection of five Italian leaves containing neumes, on vellum, in Latin, from the 12th century

a collection of five italian leaves containing neumes, on vellum, in latin, from the 12th century

Ian Fleming Centenary Edition. London: Queen Anne Press, 2008 18 volumes, ONE OF 26 LETTERED SETS (THIS SET LETTER "M"), of a total edition of 406, 8vo, each volume in special pictorial bindings by Shepherds, Sangorski & Sutcliffe in dark blue morocco gilt onlaid with various coloured designs (in red, yellow, pink, green etc), each volume according to theme (Casino Royale with playing cards, From Russia with Love with design of Moscow, On her Majesty's Secret Service with Alpine ski resort etc), the spine of Diamonds are Forever incorporating a diamond, hand-sewn head- and tail-bands, all edges gilt, handmade watermarked endpapers, the text designed and typeset by Libanus Press, each volume in specially made blue cloth slipcase lettered in gilt, the set preserved in black cloth presentation box with Ian Fleming's crest in gilt on the lid A SPECTACULAR EDITION CELEBRATING THE CENTENARY OF THE BIRTH OF IAN FLEMING, FINELY BOUND BY SHEPHERDS, SANGORSKI & SUTCLIFFE. During his lifetime Fleming was the author of seventeen published books: twelve James Bond novels, starting with Casino Royale (1953), two volumes of Bond short stories; a book of travel journalism, Thrilling Cities; a nonfictional account of the diamond trade, The Diamond Smugglers, and the children's book, Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang. This collected edition—in fact the first of its kind ever published—adds Talk of the Devil, a collection of rarely seen material (some unpublished), as well as explanatory comments written by Fleming in the flyleaves of his personal copies. "M" is James Bond's boss and head of the British Secret Service, a composite character probably based on Rear-Admiral John Godfrey (Fleming's former boss in the Department of Naval Intelligence), Maxwell Knight, former head of counter-subversion in MI5 and Maurice Buckmaster, head of the F Section of the SOE. In the James Bond film franchise, the character has been played by Bernard Lee (until 1979), Judi Dench, and Ralph Fiennes. PROVENANCE: Sale in these rooms, 17 December 2009, lot 100

View 1 of Lot 59: Ian Fleming | The Centenary Edition, 2008, 18 volumes, one of 26 lettered sets (letter "M")

ian fleming | the centenary edition, 2008, 18 volumes, one of 26 lettered sets (letter "m")

Antiquarian Books Seven volumes, comprising: (i) Matthew Prior. Poems on Several Occasions. London: Jacob Tonson, 1718. FIRST FOLIO EDITION (464 x 282 mm), engraved frontispiece, title-vignette and head- and tail-pieces, list of subscribers, contemporary calf, dampstaining, large closed tear to pp. 19–20, rebacked, rubbed and rebacked (ii) Jean-Philippe Rameau. Generation harmonique ou traité de musique theorique et pratique, Paris: Prault fils, 1737 [Hirsch, i 486], OTTO JAHN’S COPY. [16] & 227, [13], [4] pages, title printed in red and black, engraved vignette by Duflos on title-page, 12 folding plates of musical examples by J.L. Renou, bookplate of Mozart’s biographer Otto Jahn, pp.226-227 misnumbered, eighteenth-century calf, light browning, discolouration to title, repairs to spine (iii) Francis Bacon. The historie of the raigne of King Henry the Seventh. London: W. Stansby for Matthew Lownes and William Barret, 1622. Folio (291 x 182 mm), engraved portrait of Henry VII supplied from a later work and pasted in, title-page within woodcut architectural border (McKerrow & Ferguson 224), woodcut initials and headpieces, text within ruled border with blank marginal columns for side-notes (one printed side-note on X1v), errata on verso of final leaf, later calf, red edges, marbled endpapers, lacking the engraved frontispiece portrait of Henry VII by John Payne, final leaf soiled and with marginal repairs, rebacked (iv-v) Robert Southey. Life of Nelson. London: John Murray, 1813. FIRST EDITION, 2 volumes, 8vo (158 x 94 mm), engraved portrait in first volume and facsimile of Nelson's signatures in second volume, publisher's advertisements to verso of final text leaf in each volume, contemporary calf, housed in a modern cloth slipcase, joints of first volume starting, joints of second volume repaired (vi) Bernardo de Ulloa. Rétablissement des manufactures et du commerce d'Espagne. Amsterdam, 1753. PRESENTATION INSCRIPTION ON FLYLEAF FROM THE TRANSLATOR PLUMARD DE DANGEUL, TO 'LE BARON DE HOPEKEY DE LAPLAND', 8vo (164 x 95 mm), fine contemporary calf, spine gilt, gilt edges, marbled endpapers, inner dentelles, some light spotting (vii) Alexander Hunter. Culina famulatrix medicinae, or receipts in modern cookery. York: T. Wilson and R. Spence, 1806. 8vo (193 x 114 mm), fourth edition, engraved frontispiece of a pig by H. Cave, untrimmed edges, contemporary half calf, brown stain to leaves O3-4, occasional spotting throughout, spine and upper board becoming detached, binding worn PROVENANCE: (i) "Catherine Leveson Gower | June 17 1741", ownership inscription to front pastedown; monogrammed bookplate dated 1892; (ii) Otto Jahn (1813–1869, German biographer of Mozart), bookplate; (iii) P.J. Radford, bookplate; (iv-v) sale, Bloomsbury Auctions, 3 February 2005, lot 290; (vi) sale in these rooms, 11 April 1985, lot 253

View 1 of Lot 3: Antiquarian Books | Seven volumes

antiquarian books | seven volumes

Hieronymus Bock Kreüter Buch, darin Underscheid, Würckung und Namen der Kreüter so in Deutschen Landen wachsen : auch der selbigen eigentlicher und wolgegründter gebrauch inn der Artznei. [Strasbourg: Wendelin Rihel (I), 1 April-28 August] 1546 Second edition (FIRST ILLUSTRATED EDITION), 3 parts in one volume, folio (311 x 196 mm). COLLATION: a-e4 A-2Z6 2A-2N6 (2N6 blank) π6 a-m6 (lacking e4 in part one and m6 blank in third part). separate title-page to third part, 477 woodcut illustrations by David Kandel, EACH WITH CONTEMPORARY HAND-COLOURING, later calf, spine with raised bands in six compartments, red morocco lettering pieces to second and third compartments, the others gilt-tooled, sprinkled edges, upper clasp only, title-page to first part mounted, a few closed tears (without loss of text or illustrations), minor worming to lower margin of some leaves in third part, extremities rubbed, lacking lower clasp FIRST ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF A LANDMARK TEXT BY THE FIRST BOTANIST TO ATTEMPT A SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTION OF PLANTS BASED ON HIS OWN EMPIRICAL OBSERVATIONS. Bock's text, which aimed to describe the characteristics and effects of all the plants of Germany, departed significantly from previous herbals, which had instead focused on the plants of Dioscorides. Crucially, Bock classifies plants within three categories (trees, shrubs, and herbs), anticipating the subsequent development of the concepts of genus and species by later botanists including Carl Linnaeus (see Anderson, An Illustrated History of Herbals, p. 132). PROVENANCE: Winkler Bücherei, Innsbruck: bookplate and inkstamp LITERATURE: USTC 670199; VD16 B 6016; Nissen BBI 182; Stafleu & Cowan TL2 575

View 1 of Lot 21: Hieronymus Bock | Kreutter buch. Strassburg, 1546, first illustrated edition, contemporary hand-colouring

hieronymus bock | kreutter buch. strassburg, 1546, first illustrated edition, contemporary hand-colouring

[Fryderyk Chopin]—Franz Liszt F. Chopin par F. Liszt, Paris, Leipzig and Brussels: Escudier, Breitkopf and Schott, 1852, SIGNED AND INSCRIBED TO THE VIOLINIST FERDINAND DAVID (“Fer: David / son très affectionné / FLiszt”) FIRST EDITION OF LISZT’S BIOGRAPHY OF CHOPIN, [2 leaves], 206 pages, [1 leaf], original blue printed wrappers, late nineteenth- or early twentieth-century black cloth, red morocco label with gilt lettering (“Chopin / Liszt”) to spine, browning to edges, light scattered spotting, light staining and wear to wrappers A fine rare copy of Liszt’s seminal biography published three years after Chopin’s death, and inscribed to the great German violinist Ferdinand David (1810-1873). For all its longueurs, questions of authorship and ultimate motivation, Liszt’s study remains an important early contribution to Chopin biography. Although it remains significantly mute on the subject of Chopin’s actual style of playing and his contribution to the development of piano technique, it nevertheless contains many fascinating first-hand insights into its subject's personality as well as the Polish aspects of his inspiration.

View 1 of Lot 40: [Fryderyk Chopin]—Franz Liszt | First edition of Liszt’s biography of Chopin, signed and inscribed by Liszt to Ferdinand David, 1852 or later

[fryderyk chopin]—franz liszt | first edition of liszt’s biography of chopin, signed and inscribed by liszt to ferdinand david, 1852 or later

George Eliot 21 volumes, comprising: (i) Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe. Edinburgh & London: William Blackwood and Sons, 1861 FIRST EDITION, 8vo (190 x 118 mm), presentation copy inscribed on half title (“with the Publisher’s Compliments”), modern half calf over marbled boards, spine gilt with raised bands in six compartments, red and green gilt-lettered morocco labels in the second and third, red speckled edges, lacking 4-page advertisement of Dr Alexander Carlyle's autobiography at front, and 16-page publisher's catalogue at end, endleaves renewed “Every man's work, pursued steadily, tends in this way to become an end in itself, and so to bridge over the loveless chasms of his life.” Subtly subversive, Eliot's third novel is a deceptively simple tale that addressed themes of Victorian morals and sexuality, time and temporality, Darwinian thinking, and the philosophy of William Wordsworth. (ii) The Works of George Eliot: Cabinet Edition. Edinburgh & London: William Blackwood and Sons, [1880] 20 volumes, 8vo (170 x 107 mm), contemporary half calf over marbled boards, spines gilt with raised bands in six compartments, red and green gilt-lettered morocco labels in the second and fourth, the rest gilt-tooled, marbled edges, extremities very lightly rubbed and bumbed A remarkably fine set, including the later addition of Impressions of Theophrastus Such in 1880. LITERATURE: (i) Baker & Ross A6; Carter, p.112; Parrish, p.15; Sadleir 819; (ii) Baker & Ross E11.1

View 1 of Lot 55: George Eliot | Silas Marner, 1861, first edition, [with:] The Works, [1880]

george eliot | silas marner, 1861, first edition, [with:] the works, [1880]

Important Watches

Cartier Baignoire Allongée, Reference 2674 A yellow gold wristwatch, Circa 2005 Dial: silvered Calibre: cal. 8970 MC mechanical, 18 jewels Case: 18k yellow gold, case back secured by 4 screws Case number: 124776 AF Closure: unsigned red alligator strap and gold-plated buckle Size: 47 mm length x 22 mm width Signed: case, dial and movement Accessories: none In the pantheon of Cartier wristwatch designs, there are several categories that have a bearing on both collectability and price, with the majority of creations by Louis and Jean-Jacques Cartier becoming the most popular and important. These include the Tank Louis, Santos, Crash and also the Baignoire. However, the Baignoire would join the hallowed ranks of models which would grace the drafting tables of both great men. Indeed, the original design which would eventually become the Baignoire was conceived by Louis Cartier himself and presented to Maria Pavlovna, Grand Duchess of Russia. Decades later, the one-off creation would be reinterpreted by Jean-Jacques Cartier, head of the London branch, into what was then known as the Oval and Maxi Oval. Still produced in small quantities, as were all watches made by the London workshop, these designs served as the launchpad for what would eventually become the Baignoire and Bagnoire Allongée. After Cartier left family ownership in the 1970s, the Baignoire name was finally given to the Oval-shaped wristwatch, with the Bagnoire Allongée first appearing in 1991 as an oversized offering calling back to the London Maxi Oval. The Allongée was never made in large quantities with the present example belongs to a subsequent run produced during the early 2000s, and it is imbued with the glorious history of both the brand and the men who made it what it was, Louis and Jean-Jacques Cartier.

View 1 of Lot 2157: Baignoire Allongée, Reference 2674 | A yellow gold wristwatch, Circa 2005

baignoire allongée, reference 2674 | a yellow gold wristwatch, circa 2005

An illuminated Carta Executoria de hidalguía a pedimento del doctor Andrés Zamudio de Alfaro, vecino de Sevilla

An illuminated Carta Executoria de hidalguía a pedimento del doctor Andrés Zamudio de Alfaro, vecino de Sevilla on vellum, in Latin and Spanish, issued in Granada, February 1572 325 × 230 mm; 97 leaves, written in Spanish Gothic bookhand of 34 lines, complete, with 4 full-page illuminated miniatures surrounded by borders of floral and vegetal elements, fleshy acanthus leaves, and Renaissance motifs, subjects of the full-page illuminations: Virgin and Child, St Francis of Assisi, coat of arms of the Alfaro family, and six full-length portraits in a genealogical tree; 1 large illuminated capital with portrait of King Philip II of Spain, and 38 smaller illuminated capitals throughout; in 19th-century modern binding of full brown morocco, covers gilt-tooled with fleurons, lions, Near Eastern, classical, zodiacal, and other ornaments, the whole forming an elaborate pattern similar to the one on the original binding, a cover of which is mounted as a front doublure; rear doublure and linings of crimson silk; good overall condition, particularly for this type of document, which was heavily used throughout its lifetime. PROVENANCE Carta Executoria de hidalguía, dated Granada, February 1572, issued on behalf of Andrés Zamudio de Alfaro of Seville.Grolier Society label.11 March 1919, lot 522, John W. Sterling, his sale.Bookplate Roderick Terry, his sale, American Art Association Anderson Galleries, Inc., 14 February 1935, lot 412.Bookplate from Robert Walsingham Martin, his sale, Parke-Bernet, New York, 12 November 1963, lot 409.By descent to current owner. A HIGHLY DECORATED CARTA EXECUTORIA ISSUED FOR ANDRES ZAMUDIO DE ALFARO, PHYSICIAN TO THE KING OF SPAIN COMMENTARY Issued on behalf of Andrés Zamudio de Alfaro (d.1599), a native of Seville, this Carta Executoria was created for one of the most prominent physicians of late sixteenth-century Spain. Andrés, a graduate of the University of Salamanca, was born into a medical dynasty: he was the grandson of Andrés Núñez de Garoza, physician to the Inquisition in Seville, a role which he took on as well following his studies. Andrés played a significant role in responding to plague and smallpox outbreaks. In 1568, following the outbreak of plague in Seville, the municipal authorities commissioned him, together with the physician Francisco Franco, to compose treatises on the diseases. While no printed edition of Andrés’ work survives, a manuscript copy, entitled Regimiento curativo y preservativo de la pestilencia, preserves one of his treatises. In 1572, he and his brother Diego de Alfaro, a prosecutor at the Royal Audiencia of Seville, brought their claim to noble lineage to the Chancery of Granada. Carta Executoria played a crucial role in sixteenth-century Spain as a legal instrument that affirmed a family’s claim to hidalguía (noble status), thereby securing both social prestige, tangible economic and legal advantages. Possession of such a document ensured exemption from certain taxes, most notably the pechos a highly discriminatory direct tax, and protected assets from taxation that applied to the lower classes. The Carta Executoria also provided a certain degree of legally recognised immunity, protecting nobles from certain forms of prosecution, imprisonment, or corporal punishment through their distinct juridical status. As a result, the Carta Executoria functioned not only as a simple record of lineage, but as a powerful tool to safeguard wealth, distinguish social standing, and to secure additional legal protection within the Spanish monarchy. Andrés’ reputation as a physician culminated in his appointment into royal service. In 1580, when Philip II fell gravely ill at Badajoz, Andrés was summoned from Seville and successfully treated the monarch. In recognition of his services, he was appointed physician to the royal chamber on 5 November 1580 and was subsequently elevated to the position of primer médico and chief physician of Castile. In this capacity, he also attended Philip II during his final illness in 1598. The Carta Executoria issued for Andrés Zamudio de Alfaro is elaborately and lavishly illuminated to underline its legal function and to serve as testimony of its owner’s lineage and status. The manuscript contains four full-page illuminations, an unusual amount for a Carta Executoria. As legal and representative documents, they usually focus on the heraldic devices of the recipient. The full-page illuminations depict the Virgin and Child, St Francis of Assisi, the family coat of arms, a genealogical tree with family portraits, alongside a large historiated initial featuring King Philip II of Spain. Numerous illuminated initials and decorative borders extend throughout the volume, and the Alfaro coat of arms is prominently displayed. The manuscript forgoes the usual martial depiction of St James at the Battle of Clavijo and instead includes a full-page illumination showing St Francis of Assisi, underlining the presence and influence of the Franciscan Order in the city of Seville. Crimson silk guards protect the miniatures, whose colours remain particularly vibrant and are well preserved. The miniatures are surrounded by dense borders of fleshy acanthus leaves, Greco-Roman motifs, angels, lion faces, fantastical creatures, human heads, and birds, which form a lively frame. The palette is striking, combining yellow gold with shades of rose, light green, pink, red, and blue, recalling the city of Seville with its spectacular sunsets and Islamic heritage. The artist’s style is exemplified in the miniature of St Francis of Assisi; set within a hilly landscape beneath a sky rendered in hues of blue and pink, a dramatic scene unfolds. The saint’s stigmata are clearly visible, with thin threads of blood extending from his wounds towards the figure of Christ appearing in the clouds above, creating a direct spiritual and physical connection between saint and Saviour. The combination of vibrant colour, intricate border decoration, and narrative detail mark the style of the manuscript, underlining its status both as a formal legal document and a luxurious work of art. LITERATURE Davis, Charles, and María Luz López Terrada. “Protomedicato y farmacia en Castilla a finales del siglo XVI: Edición crítica del Catálogo de las cosas que los boticarios han de tener en sus boticas, de Andrés Zamudio de Alfaro, Protomédico general (1592–1599).” Asclepio 62, no. 2 (2010): 579–626.

View 1 of Lot 3: Illuminated Carta Executoria de hidalguía for Doctor Andrés Zamudio de Alfaro, on vellum, in Latin and Spanish, issued in Granada, February 1572

illuminated carta executoria de hidalguía for doctor andrés zamudio de alfaro, on vellum, in latin and spanish, issued in granada, february 1572

Baptism of Christ on a leaf from an Antiphonal

Baptism of Christ on a leaf from an Antiphonal on vellum, in Latin, (Italy, potentially Emilia, Bologna, or Padua), second quarter of the fourteenth century, 515 × 364 mm; a historiated initial H depicting the Baptism of Christ in a red and barren landscape, John the Baptist gently pouring water over the haloed head of Christ, with three angels standing on the bank of the River Jordan, bearing cloths and the garments of Christ, the Holy Ghost descending from the Heavens, the face of God at the very top of the composition flanked by two angels, the body of the initial H in light blue and red with long curling extenders executed on dark blue ground; leaf encompassing eight lines of music and of text written in a compact Gothic hand, with rubrications and one staff line highlighted in red; parchment slightly darkened, left side where leaf was removed slightly uneven, script in places slightly faded, initial slightly spotted and in some places rubbed with slight loss of pigment. PROVENANCE From an Italian Antiphonal, Italy, potentially Emilia, Bologna, or Padua.Historical numbering of leaf ‘109’. A CENTRAL SCENE IN THE LIFE OF CHRIST, BEAUTIFULLY RENDERED IN RICH COLOURS COMMENTARY Within a barren landscape of dark red rock and sand, Christ is baptised in the River Jordan. The scene is contained within a historiated initial executed in light blue and red and embellished with fine white tracings. Set against a rich royal blue ground — the upper part of the scene is dominated by blue tones — the composition draws the eye immediately to the central figure of Christ, who raises his right hand in a gesture of blessing and quiet acknowledgement. On his left, administering the sacrament, stands John the Baptist, clad in his characteristic tunic of camel hair. On the banks of the River Jordan, to the right, three angels stand shoulder to shoulder, their hands raised and holding towels ready to receive and dry Christ following his baptism. The landscape is rendered in a palette of earth tones — deep red, beige, and muted orange — which creates a striking contrast to the blue tones of John’s garments and the ground of the initial. Above the gathered figures appears the face of God, flanked by two angels, while a dove descends towards Christ, marking the presence of the Holy Spirit and completing the Trinitarian unit. The body of the initial extends into long vines that run the full length of the page, ending in curling spirals and abstract, brightly coloured leaves of varied shapes. The silhouette of the initial is surrounded by dots of highly burnished gold, providing an additional layer of splendour. The faces of Christ and John the Baptist are chiselled, with angular brows, dark shadows around the eyes, and bodies that are marked by age and the harshness of human life. The faces of the angels, on the other hand, are round and smooth, with rosy cheeks and healthy-looking, fresh complexions, and hair that smoothly flows around their heads. The miniature is reminiscent of the style of the Master of the Antiphonal of Padua in the way in which our artist creates the eyes using only very few strokes. The initial H opens a responsorium for the feast of Epiphany during Matins: Hodie in iordane baptizato domino aperti sunt celi et sicut columba super eum spiritus mansit et vox patris in tonuit. Hic est filius [dilectus in quo mihi complacui]. The Feast of the Epiphany commemorates the moment in which Christ’s divine nature is revealed. The text of our initial serves as the magnificent first Magnificat antiphon for the feast’s liturgy, setting the scene for the revelation of Christ’s divinity. In the Gospel accounts, Christ’s baptism in the River Jordan marks the beginning of his public ministry, as he submits to the rite administered by John the Baptist, an act that underscores both his humanity and his humility. At the same time, the event is understood as a full manifestation of the Trinity — God the Father revealed in the voice from heaven, the Holy Spirit descending in the form of a dove, and Christ himself standing in the waters. The miniature depicts a key scene of the life of Christ in bold colours and with an artistic sensitivity that strives to foreshadow the tribulations of Christ until his salvation. LITERATURE Freuler, Gaudenz. Italian Miniatures: From the Twelfth to the Sixteenth Century. Cinisello Balsamo: Silvana Editoriale, 2013. Freuler, Gaudenz. “Studi recenti sulla miniatura medievale (soprattutto) emiliana: Appunti intorno ad una recente mostra americana (Parte I).” Arte Cristiana 92 (2004): 1–10. Mariani Canova, Giordana. Miniature dell’Italia settentrionale nella Fondazione Giorgio Cini. Vicenza: Neri Pozza, 1978. Mariani Canova, Giordana. “Nuovi contributi alla serie liturgica degli antifonari di San Domenico in Bologna.” In La miniatura italiana in età romanica e gotica: Atti del I Congresso di Storia della Miniatura Italiana (Cortona, 26–28 maggio 1978), 371–393. Florence, 1979. Medica, Massimo, and Francesca Toniolo. Le miniature della Fondazione Giorgio Cini: pagine, ritagli, manoscritti. Cinisello Balsamo: Silvana Editoriale, 2016. Medica, Massimo. Duecento: Forme e colori del Medioevo a Bologna. Exh. cat., Bologna, Museo Civico Archeologico, 15 April–16 July 2000. Bologna, 2000, 373–375.

View 1 of Lot 7: Baptism of Christ on a leaf from an Antiphonal, on vellum, in Latin, (Italy, potentially Emilia, Bologna, or Padua), second quarter of the fourteenth century

baptism of christ on a leaf from an antiphonal, on vellum, in latin, (italy, potentially emilia, bologna, or padua), second quarter of the fourteenth century

A group of four volumes on beekeeping, comprising:

A group of four volumes on beekeeping, comprising: (i) John Thorley. Melissologia, or the Female Monarchy. Being an enquiry into the nature, order and government of bees. London: for the author, 1744. FIRST EDITION, 8vo (198 x 117 mm), list of subscribers, 5 engraved plates including frontispiece (of which 4 folding), 4 page publisher's catalogue, 6-line manuscript verse in an eighteenth-century hand to the verso of "An Explanation of the Plates" leaf, contemporary calf, spine with raised bands in six compartments, red morocco label to second compartment, traces of engraved armorial bookplate to front pastedown, occasional browning, plates with slight offsetting, binding worn and chipped, [British Bee Books 97] (ii) John Keys. The Antient Bee-Master's Farewell; or full and plain directions for the management of bees to the greatest advantage. London: G.G. and J. Robinson, 1796. 8vo (202 x 132 mm), half-title, 2 engraved plates, contemporary half calf, occasional light spotting or marginal soiling, boards detached and spine chipped (iii) John Milton. The Practical Bee-keeper; or concise and plain instructions for the management of bees and hives. London: J.W. Parker, 1843. Small 8vo (175 x 106 mm), engraved frontispiece, further in-text illustrations, original dark green cloth, frontispiece laid down, residue of old paper labels on upper cover and spine (iv) Alfred Neighbour. The Apiary; or Bees, Bee-hives and Bee Culture. London: Kent & Co., 1865. FIRST EDITION, 8vo (219 x 141 mm), title-page (with erased nineteenth-century ownership inscription), engraved plates, publisher's green cloth gilt, brown endpapers (front endpaper with slight residue from removed bookplate), extremities slightly bumped PROVENANCE: Sale, Bonhams, 19 October 2004, (i) lot 390, (ii) lot 387, (iii–iv) lot 389

View 1 of Lot 15: Beekeeping | A group of four volumes

beekeeping | a group of four volumes

Arthur Conan Doyle The Hound of the Baskervilles. London: George Newnes, 1902 FIRST EDITION, 8vo (182 x 122 mm), 15 plates by Paget (only, of 16: lacking plate after p. 322), publisher's red cloth with gilt titles and decoration to spine and upper cover, stylised black hound to upper cover, plates after pp. 260 and 310 becoming detached and plate after p. 318 slightly creased, minor loss to lower corner of upper board, extremities slightly bumped "Mr. Holmes, they were the footprints of a gigantic hound." FIRST EDITION OF PERHAPS THE MOST CELEBRATED AND BEST-LOVED CRIME NOVEL OF ALL TIME. Inspired by Bertram Fletcher Robinson (Daily Express correspondent during the Boer War), with whom Doyle struck up a friendship when travelling back on the same ship from Cape Town. On a golfing holiday in 1901 Robinson mentioned the legend of the Black Hound of Hergest associated with the Vaughan family of Hergest Court in Herefordshire. Doyle subsequently re-located his version of the story, with Sherlock Holmes as the main protagonist, to Dartmoor in Devon, Robinson's native county. Doyle wrote to his mother on 2 April 1901: "Robinson and I are exploring the moor over our Sherlock Holmes book. I think it will work out splendidly... Holmes is at his very best, and it is a highly dramatic idea". PROVENANCE: Traces of erased contemporary ownership inscription to front free endpaper LITERATURE: Cooper & Pike, Detective Fiction, pp. 115–119; Green & Gibson A26a

View 1 of Lot 50: Arthur Conan Doyle | The Hound of the Baskervilles, 1902, first edition of perhaps the best-loved crime novel of all time

arthur conan doyle | the hound of the baskervilles, 1902, first edition of perhaps the best-loved crime novel of all time

A large calendar miniature for the month of May depicting two lovers illuminated by Jean Poyer

A large calendar miniature for the month of May depicting two lovers illuminated by Jean Poyer on vellum, in Latin, (France, Tours) c.1490–1500, 78 × 130 mm; the scene is set in a hortus conclusus (enclosed garden); the young man is seated on a bench to the left, playing the lute, while his beloved is depicted standing with flowers in her hands; both are dressed in fashionable garments, and fine gold hatching is used to illuminate hair and clothing; white and red flowers dot the lush grass around the two figures; on the verso: fragments of a calendar, names of saints alternately written in blue and red ink and gold; initial A with red body and blue embellishments on a golden ground; line-fillers decorated with violet and blue acanthus highlighted in white on a golden ground; ruled in red; border of liquid gold with stylised simple flowers, enclosed by a brown frame imitating wood, dividing the border of the outer margin into diagonal compartments; miniature cut close to the frame of the scene; very good condition. A DELIGHTFUL SCENE OF TWO LOVERS IN A GARDEN, AWAY FROM PRYING EYES, DRESSED IN THEIR FINERY, ILLUMINATED BY JEAN POYER PROVENANCE From a lavish Book of Hours created in Tours, France, c.1490–1500. COMMENTARY The scene depicts two lovers under a trellised pergola covered with greenery, creating an intimate and private setting. Sitting on a bench, the man plays the lute, glancing at his lover, who is moving towards him, creating a quiet yet strong connection between the two figures. The young man is dressed in an elegant blue doublet with a soft white collar and lined sleeves, complemented by red hose and a fashionable black hat, all symbols of his noble status. His lover is clothed in a precious pink dress — a colour that signifies both her youth and femininity — while her golden blond hair is covered with an ornate blue French hood. The couple, situated within an idyllic garden setting, embody the ideals of fashionable courtly culture, both in their interaction and their dress. The lovers meet within a hortus conclusus (Latin for “enclosed garden”), a highly symbolic and central motif in medieval art, originally derived from the Song of Songs. It is an idealised walled or fenced garden, often rendered with lush vegetation and beautiful flora and fauna. While originally used in the context of Marian symbolism, the hortus conclusus in secular depictions blends biblical imagery with that of courtly love and functions both as a physical and symbolic space, set apart from society in which the lovers can meet within the bounds of courtly expectations. The artist has created a detailed and beautiful spring garden, enlivened with brushstrokes in dark green and dotted with red and white flowers. At the same time, brighter areas indicate where sunlight filters through the pergola, conveying the warmth of a spring day. The style of illumination is very fine, characterised by the delicate execution of both the figures and the setting. The faces of the two lovers are imbued with a pink flush and softly modelled, with straight noses and gently blushed lips and cheeks. The hair of the male figure appears light and airy, his curls highlighted with touches of gold. The young woman is shown stepping towards her lover, flowers in her hands, her movement adding a point of interest to the composition. Golden highlights lend a sense of plasticity to the figures and to the luxuriousness to the miniature. The miniature is executed in the style of Jean Poyer, who is recorded between 1465 and 1498 in Tours as a painter, enlumineur, and historieur. Considered one of the leading illuminators among the followers of Jean Fouquet in the late fifteenth century, Poyer was highly regarded for his artistic abilities. He is mentioned by the poet and historian Jean Lemaire de Belges, who compared the artist to leading painters such as Simon Marmion, Rogier van der Weyden, Jan van Eyck, and Hugo van der Goes in an allegorical poem written in 1504 for, Margaret of Austria on the death of Philibert II, Duke of Savoy. Poyer’s œuvre encompassed a wide range of media, including illuminated manuscripts, panel paintings, drawings, and stained glass, reflecting his versatile abilities. Among his most important patrons was Anne of Brittany, for whom he executed the Petites Heures d’Anne de Bretagne (New York, Pierpont Morgan Library, MS M. 50; cf. Wieck 1999). The Hours of Briçonnet (Haarlem, Teylers Museum, MS 78) are generally regarded as his earliest surviving illuminated work. The text on the verso indicates that the miniature originates from a lavishly decorated Book of Hours. In the original manuscript, an opening must have been provided for each month, presenting the typical labour or activity associated with the month and providing the artist with ample space to develop the scene. The subject of the miniature corresponds to the established representations of springtime used to introduce the month of May, its imagery reflecting seasonal renewal and courtly leisure. The names of saints listed on the back of each leaf belong to the respective preceding months and are written alternately in blue and red. A large portion of the still legible saints’ names points towards the use of Paris, although the calendar cannot be localised with certainty. The miniature at hand is unknown, but its size and elaborate quality point to its origin within a luxury commission. Stylistically as well as iconographically, the calendar of the Hours of Henry VIII (cf. Wieck, Voelke, Hearne 2000, pp.58–61) offers a close point of comparison; however, it is not currently possible to connect the miniature to any of Poyer’s surviving works. A fragmentary Book of Hours in Paris (Bibliothèque nationale, lat. 17965; cf. Hofmann 2004, pp.162–63, fig.253) has been suggested by Hofmann as a potential origin, while a stylistically closely related single leaf depicting Job (sold at Drouot, Paris, 14 November 1975, lot 40; cf. Hofmann 2004, p.169, fig.249) provides a further point of comparison. It is possible that the leaf derives from an otherwise unknown manuscript produced in the artist’s workshop. In this respect, the miniature offers considerable potential for art-historical research. The Hours of Henry VIII convey how luxurious and impressive the original manuscript must have been, and it seems highly likely that this elegant leaf once formed part of a high-profile commission created for an important member of the nobility, or indeed a member of the royal court. LITERATURE Delaunay, Isabelle. Échanges artistiques entre livres d’heures manuscrits et imprimés produits à Paris vers 1480–1500. 3 vols. PhD diss., Université Paris IV–Sorbonne, 2000. Delaunay, Isabelle. “La production en série dans les livres d’heures parisiens vers 1480–1500.” Rivista d’arte, 5th ser., 7 (2017): 279–290. Delaunay, Isabelle. “Les Heures d’Écouen du Musée national de la Renaissance: Échanges entre manuscrits et imprimés autour de 1500.” Revue du Louvre et des musées de France 43, no. 4 (1993): 11–24. Hofmann, Mara. Jean Poyer: Das Gesamtwerk., Turnhout: Brepols, 2004. Plummer, John, and Gregory Clark. The Last Flowering: French Painting in Manuscripts 1420–1530 from American Collections, exh. cat. New York: Pierpont Morgan Library; London: Oxford University Press, 1982. Wieck, Roger S. The Prayer Book of Anne de Bretagne: MS M. 50, The Pierpont Morgan Library, New York. Lucerne: Faksimile Verlag, 1999. Wieck, Roger S., William M. Voelkle, and Michelle P. Hearne. The Hours of Henry VIII: A Renaissance Masterpiece by Jean Poyer. New York: George Braziller, 2000.

View 1 of Lot 13: Lovers in a Garden, a calendar miniature from a Book of Hours, illuminated by Jean Poyer (France, Tours), on vellum, in Latin, c.1490–1500

lovers in a garden, a calendar miniature from a book of hours, illuminated by jean poyer (france, tours), on vellum, in latin, c.1490–1500

An illuminated leaf from a Book of Hours depicting the Adoration of the Magi created by Hans Traut

An illuminated leaf from a Book of Hours depicting the Adoration of the Magi created by Hans Traut on vellum, (Germany, Nuremberg), c.1500–1525, 125 × 93mm; set within an intricate trompe-l'œil frame consisting of two gothic spires and arches above two male figures (prophets?) on pillars in a Greco-Roman imitation style, complemented at the head and the foot of the page by banderols, at the top of the frame the banderol is held by an angel while the banderol at the foot is intertwined with the unfurling vine of a pomegranate, in the left corner a table with a bowl of porridge, crowned-headdress, sceptre, and gift of the first magi, at the centre of the composition is the Christ child, framed by the figure of his mother who is seated in front of a red and gold brocade textile screen, to her left stands Joseph hat in hand looking at the crowd gathered in front of him while Mary looks pensively down at the child on her lap, the three Kings to the right of the composition, Caspar and Melchior, both clothed in luxurious garments kneeling in front of the Christ child, Balthasar still standing, looking as if he has just joined the scene, next to the brocade screen a donkey and a an ox are visible, behind a crowd of curious onlookers has gathered, in the far background the city of Bethlehem and the Church of the Nativity and just above the heads of the onlookers the entourage of the three magi is slowly making their way towards the holy family; verso blank, except for a modern inscription Mad craufurd; minute loss of pigment to middle part of the frame on the right and the hem of the blue garb of the Virgin, edges of parchment darkened and minor cockling otherwise outstanding condition with bright and saturated colours. A MAGNIFICENT AND INNOVATIVE DEPICTION OF THE HOLY FAMILY BY ONE OF NUREMBERG’S LEADING ARTISTS, HANS TRAUT PROVENANCE 1. Created likely by Hans Traut an atelier in Nuremberg at the beginning of the 16th century. 2. Note on verso: Mad craufurd in a late 18th or 19th century hand provides a potentially hint to an earlier owner. The Craufurd family (also spelled Crawford) is a historic Scottish Lowland family, traditionally descending from Thorlongus, a 10th-century Danish chief. With roots in Ayrshire and Renfrewshire, they held significant lands and were closely aligned with William Wallace through marriage. The Houison-Craufurd branch still occupies their ancestral Craufurdland Castle in Ayrshire, which they have held for over 800 years. 3. Collection of Horace Hennion, Keeper of the Musee des Beaux-Arts de Tours between 1920 and 1947. COMMENTARY Surrounded by a golden frame is a beautiful scene: the three Magi paying homage to the just born Christ Child and his mother. The Virgin is depicted seated in front of a rich red brocade screen embroidered with gold, which forms an opulent backdrop. The Christ Child in her lap is beautifully framed by the folds of her vibrant blue dress. She is flanked by her husband Joseph. Two Kings, Melchior and Kaspar, are kneeling in front of her, their hands raised in joy, their eyes lifted admiringly to the babe in her lap. One of them kneels so close to the Virgin, that the Christ child would only have to stretch out its little plump fist to grasp the beard of the closest king, whose features are rendered with incredible detail showing each line of his face and each individual hair. King Balthasar, by contrast, stands slightly apart, as if he had just arrived, introducing a subtle sense of movement and adding a dynamic element to the otherwise compact and intimate arrangement. The artist masterfully depicts the sumptuous brocade fabrics and finery worn by the kings that contrasts with the restrained blues of Mary and Joseph’s garbs. Next to the Holy Family is a table covered with a bright white cloth on which we find, alongside a king’s headdress and gift, a modest bowl of gruel or porridge for the child, capturing the contrast between richness and humility. The encounter is set within a wide and atmospheric landscape framed by a ruin, a setting characteristic of Dutch and Flemish panel painting. A stone wall separates the intimate scene in the foreground from a group of onlookers, creating a clear distinction between sacred space and the wider world beyond. In the distance, an airy cityscape — likely Bethlehem with the Church of the Nativity — provides additional narrative detail. Further enlivening the background, the retinue of the kings’ approaches on horses and camels, their banners streaming in the wind. The entourage announces their arrival by fanfares underlining the grandeur and status of the three magi. The composition is an intriguing choice, presenting a close-up view of the Holy Family more typical of Flemish panel painting of the sixteenth century. Yet, this miniature is very likely the work of Hans Traut, who led a successful workshop in Nuremberg in the later decades of the 15th century. Following Freuler in his upcoming publication, the attribution to Traut can be sustained, among other aspects, due to the specific rendering of the Virgin’s hair which is portrayed as very fine and thins towards the ends. Traut also had a penchant for depicting his older male figures with reddish complexions, while in general his figures possess compact bodies and larger heads. One of the most distinctive features, Freuler notes, are the elongated, slim and bony fingers that the figures in our miniature exhibit. It is possible that Traut might have collaborated with Dürer in the early 16th century, as a drawing of St Sebastian (H62/B 148, Erlangen, University Library) by Traut can be allocated in the possession of Dürer, who inscribed the drawing in his own hand and attributed it to Hans Traut. Traut’s sophisticated and elegant style is marked by a distinctly Flemish approach, including the naturalism of his paintings and an overall brighter palette. This composition demonstrates that the illuminator follows the artistic conventions of Flanders, with Bruges and Ghent as the principal centres of artistic production and shows particular indebtedness to the works of Rogier van der Weyden. At the same time, the dramatic close-up represents an innovative approach, first introduced by Simon Marmion (c.1425–1489) during the late 1470s, and here developed further into a dense composition. The arrangement of the scene, combined with the close-up perspective, firmly situates the miniature at the turning point of the fifteenth to the sixteenth century, making it likely that the illuminator’s period of activity extended from the last quarter of the fifteenth into the early sixteenth century. Additionally, the depiction of one king as Black marks a departure from earlier medieval conventions that rendered all three Magi as light skinned and in identical guise. This new artistic convention instead emphasised the global reach of Christianity and reflected a rising interest in exoticism. This interest, closely tied to luxury goods, would have resonated with elite patrons who valued precious commodities such as silks, gemstones, and spices that made the perilous journey from the East. The miniature at hand merges traditional elements with innovative tendencies: the compositional arrangement of a central core group surrounded by a larger group recalls engravings by Martin Schongauer (c.1470–1475), whose prints circulated widely across Northern Europe and were adapted by both panel painters and illuminators alike. Traut potentially drew on Schongauer’s compositional model, but introduced a distinctly modernising interpretation, using a close-up viewpoint that renders the figures in half-length and filling otherwise vacant spaces with a densely arranged group of onlookers. In this way, the miniature reveals the artist’s familiarity with both established iconography and innovative tendencies, which result in a compelling interpretation of a highly popular subject. The frame of the miniature is reminiscent of printed Books of Hours produced in Paris, incorporating architectural elements encompassing the figures of two prophets(?), as well as banderols at the head and foot of the page. Gold is used to heighten the details and to underline the trompe d’œil effect of the frame. It is possible that this leaf was never part of a bound manuscript but rather functioned as a standalone devotional painting, a format known from the works of Simon Bening, who produced comparable series of independent miniatures, such as the group of sixty-four images associated with the so-called Stein Quadriptych (Baltimore, Walters Art Museum, W. 442). The miniature is a beautiful work of art that incorporates new artistic developments and represents a highpoint of German manuscript illumination, heavily influenced by Flemish tendencies. We thank Prof. Dr. Freuler for providing us with access to his upcoming publication and his insights. LITERATURE Brinkmann, Bodo. Die flämische Buchmalerei am Ende des Burgunderreichs. Turnhout: Brepols, 1997. Freuler, Gaudenz. Upcoming: “Illuminated Cuttings at the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg: Case Studies and International Research Opportunities”, paper presented at the conference “Illuminated Cuttings” on 29 April 2024. The corresponding article will be published this October 2026. Georgi, Katharina. Illuminierte Gebetbücher aus dem Umkreis der Nürnberger Pleydenwurff-Wohlgemut-Werkstatt, Petersberg 2013. Kren, Thomas, and Scot McKendrick, eds. Illuminating the Renaissance: The Triumph of Flemish Manuscript Painting in Europe. Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum, 2003. Lata, Sabine. Wolf Traut als Maler. Nuremberg: Stadtarchiv Nuremberg, 2005. Smeyers, Maurits. Flemish Miniatures from the 8th to the Mid-16th Century. Leuven: Peeters, 1999.

View 1 of Lot 15: An illuminated leaf from a Book of Hours depicting the Adoration of the Magi created by Hans Traut, on vellum, (Germany, Nuremberg), c.1500–1525 

an illuminated leaf from a book of hours depicting the adoration of the magi created by hans traut, on vellum, (germany, nuremberg), c.1500–1525

Maxime du Camp Égypte, Nubie, Palestine et Syrie. Dessins Photographiques recueillis pendant les années 1849, 1850 et 1851. Paris: par J. Claye et Cie. [for] Gide et J. Baudry, 1852 Folio (435 x 295 mm). Half-title, 125 salted prints (each approximately 165 x 220 mm, or the reverse) printed by Blanquart-Evrard, being 112 views of Egypt, 6 of Jerusalem, and 7 of Baalbek, each individually mounted on card with engraved title, number, and imprint, and 3 engraved plans, one of which double-page, and 55 pages of text, near-contemporary red half morocco, mounts spotted (as often), occasional slight spotting to prints, extremities slightly rubbed “Photography absorbs and consumes Max’s days…” (Flaubert). FIRST EDITION OF A PIONEERING PHOTOBOOK ON EGYPT, PALESTINE, AND SYRIA. In November 1849 Maxime Du Camp, the twenty-seven year old son of a successful surgeon, set out for Egypt with his friend, Gustave Flaubert. Each longed to explore the Near East and had secured government commissions to fulfil their ambitions. Du Camp was to photograph and study archaeological sites while Flaubert was to gather information on the local commerce, agriculture, and industries. Du Camp had experience documenting ruins on past journeys, but found their documentation by sketching frustrating—it took too long to be precise and his drawing skills were lacking. So, he turned to the new invention of photography as a more accurate method. He trained in photography with Gustave Le Gray, who taught him the waxed paper negative process; this method proved challenging for the novice and he did not have much success. Fortunately, he met Baron Alexis de La Grange in Cairo who taught him Louis-Désiré Blanquart-Evrard’s improved process, which helped given the arduous circumstances. The task of photographing in the desert was a difficult one, especially for an amateur, requiring distilled water and a dark room to fix the chemicals. The transport of the necessary equipment was by mule, camel or a legion of local porters. “Photography absorbs and consumes Max’s days. He succeeds but gets upset every time he ruins a proof or a plate is badly wiped... I don't know how Max doesn’t kill himself with the photographic mania he has” (Flaubert in a letter to his mother, sent from Cairo). Du Camp persevered and captured 214 negatives of 60 different monuments and sites. Of those, 125 were selected to be published resulting in the present work, which was the first French book to be illustrated entirely with photographs and was Blanquart-Évrard’s biggest commercial success. Its precedents were William Henry Fox Talbot’s The Pencil of Nature in England and a few less significant brochures in France. The photographs that illustrate those publications have not survived as well the examples in Du Camp’s volume, which retain good contrast and detail. Sold by subscription in 25 parts, each containing 5 plates, the total number of complete sets distributed is unknown, but based on a payment made to Du Camp at the time and its present rarity, it likely that no more than 200 copies were printed. The work earned Du Camp the prestigious award of Officer of the Legion of Honour. Despite of the positive reception his photographs received, Du Camp never photographed again. When Du Camp and Flaubert arrived in Beirut at the end of their voyage, the former exchanged all of his photographic equipment for fine wool and silk embroidered with gold so that the two could commission upholstered furniture when they returned home. It remains Du Camp’s first and last foray into photography. The present copy was owned by Honoré d'Albert, duc de Luynes (1802–1867), art collector and archaeologist. Interested in the Phoenicians and Egyptology, the duc's contributions to Egyptological research were numerous. He travelled to Egypt himself, and also helped fund Auguste Mariette's infamous archaeological excavations around the Great Sphinx. REFERENCES: Parr and Badger, The Photobook: A History (2004), I: 23 PROVENANCE: Honoré d'Albert, duc de Luynes (1802–1867), art collector, archaeologist, and scientist; by descent to the present owner. The Duc de Luynes played an important role in the photography, especially in terms of the chemistry involved. As a member of the Société Française de Photographie, he established a prize for the photographer who succeeded in reproducing photographic images using ink mixed with carbon, as well as a secondary award concerning the printing and preservation of positive prints. As an archaeologist, he took an interest in the relationship between the Phoenicians and Egypt—and the traces they left there—a topic revisited by the Viscount de Rougé in light of discoveries made along the banks of the Nile. He travelled to Egypt himself, though he was soon forced to cut short his trip due to ill health. He also contributed to the funding of Mariette’s excavations around the Great Sphinx.

View 1 of Lot 54: Maxime du Camp | Égypte, Nubie, Palestine et Syrie. Dessins Photographiques..., Paris, 1852, first edition of a pioneering photobook, the duc de Luynes' copy

maxime du camp | égypte, nubie, palestine et syrie. dessins photographiques..., paris, 1852, first edition of a pioneering photobook, the duc de luynes' copy

Pablo Picasso Picasso, 347 Engravings, 16/3/68–5/10/68. [Paris: Draeger Frères for The Art Institute of Chicago, and Galerie Louise Leiris, 1968] FIRST EDITION, PLAYFULLY SIGNED ("Picasso") IN RED, GREEN, AND PURPLE FELT TIP PEN TO ENDLEAF WITH ACCOMPANYING DOODLE OF A SMILING FACE, 4to (166 x 160 mm), 347 numbered photographic reproductions of engravings by Picasso, many 2 to a page, handsomely bound in red morocco, spine lettered in gilt, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers, cloth slipcase, spine very slightly sunned This catalogue reproduces 347 engravings which Picasso executed between March and October 1968 at Mougins. Please note that this work has not been submitted for authentication to the Picasso Committee (Picasso Administration).

View 1 of Lot 108: Pablo Picasso | Picasso, 347 Engravings, 16/3/68-5/10/68, [Paris, 1968], signed, with accompanying doodle of a smiling face

pablo picasso | picasso, 347 engravings, 16/3/68-5/10/68, [paris, 1968], signed, with accompanying doodle of a smiling face

Robert Adam Ruins of the Palace of the Emperor Diocletian at Spalatro in Dalmatia. [London]: Printed for the Author, 1764 FIRST EDITION, folio (530 x 366 mm), dedication leaf, list of subscribers, 61 numbered engraved plates (including frontispiece) on 54 sheets, some double-page and/or folding, nineteenth-century half morocco over marbled boards, spine with raised bands in seven compartments, lettered in gilt, red sprinkled edges, marbled endpapers, some spotting, extremities slightly rubbed FIRST EDITION OF ADAMS' ELABORATE DESCRIPTION OF A RARE PRIVATE RESIDENCE OF THE IMPERIAL PERIOD. Of this publication Edward Gibbon remarked: "There is reason to suspect that the elegance of his designs and engravings has somewhat flattered the objects which it was their purpose to represent" (The Decline and Fall, chapter 12). LITERATURE: BAL RIBA 27; Berlin Kat 1893; Blackmer 3; Cicognara 3567

View 1 of Lot 20: Robert Adam | Ruins of the Palace of the Emperor Diocletian, 1764, first edition 

robert adam | ruins of the palace of the emperor diocletian, 1764, first edition

Manuscript recipe book A collection of 331 culinary, medical and household recipes, written in two hands, many noting their source (such as "The Duchess of Kents Water" (p.6), "Snail Water made by Mrs Richmond at Pinner Augst. 1714" (p.18) and a group of "Mr Edward Kidders Receipts for Pastery and Cookery"), in red and black ink, early 18th century, 108 numbered pages, plus blanks, oblong 4to (180 x 240mm), contemporary calf gilt, rebacked, covers worn, pagination and numbering in faded red ink "Cheescakes. A Qt. of cream boyl'd & thicken'd with naple biskets w[he]n it is boyled beat fine the outward rinds of 2 oranges 3 oz. of Almond paste th[e]n add the cream paste with half a pound of butter a little mace slic'd[.] beat these well together with 6 eggs & sugar to the tast, bake it in puff Paste" (p.34) A UNIQUE AND VARIED COLLECTION OF DOMESTIC RECIPES. A substantial group of recipes found in this collection derive from the cookery teacher and writer Edward Kidder (1666–1739). His Receipts of Pastry and Cookery was published in 1720, but his recipes also circulated in manuscript form. Several of the medicinal cures are noted as having been tested in the 1710s and the initials "MR" are written alongside a number of recipes in the first section (to p.21). PROVENANCE: Sale, Bonhams, London, 14 December 2004, lot 351 (part)

View 1 of Lot 119: Manuscript Recipe Book | A volume containing 331 numbered culinary, medical, and household recipes, early 18th century

manuscript recipe book | a volume containing 331 numbered culinary, medical, and household recipes, early 18th century

[William Makepeace Thackeray (attrib.)] Illustrated manuscript entitled “A Wonderfulle, Veritable and Trulye Delectable Hystorye; of a certain flock of sheep that went astray, during [th]e Shepherde his absence. Together w[it]h divers wondrous matters wh[ich] are contained in thys little Boke”, a comic narrative concerning an Irish parson whose congregation succumbs to worldly temptation when he is abroad on an Alpine holiday, the text in a single print hand and illustrated with ten watercolours laid down on blue paper, 6 pages, 8vo (185 x 133mm), text and illustrations on rectos only, with original handwritten title page (“Imprinted for John Snobbe, Gent. At the Inkpotte and Asse in Fleet Street. MDCCCXLVIII [i.e. 1848]”), bound in modern red cloth, red Morocco backed slipcase, spotting, stain to one watercolour AN UNPUBLISHED ILLUSTRATED STORY THAT CAN BE ATTRIBUTED WITH SOME CONFIDENCE TO WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKERAY. This charming story of a humourless parson is full of detail that is richly evocative of mid-Victorian life. The parson packs his carpet bag and gives a “brief and improving discourse of two hours & fifty nine minutes” – the accompanying illustration shows the women in the congregation disconsolate and the men sleeping – before taking a steamer, depicted as a kettle, to the Continent for a walking holiday in the Alps. In the town of “Schmdttvonichbrandtt” he reads disturbing news from Ireland: ironically, what worries him is not the nationalist drama of the Young Ireland Rebellion of July 1848, but “Fashionable Intelligence” of parties and engagements. He hurries back on an absurd train pulled by four locomotives and a steamer assisted by a rowing boat to bring his flock back to the path of righteousness. He finds some members of his congregation at a recital by Jenny Lind (the “Swedish Nightingale” performed in Dublin in October 1848), whilst others flirt in a richly appointed drawing room. The final illustration is of a magic lantern slide showing a disarmingly cheerful devil, with a couple taking advantage of the darkness to kiss under the mistletoe. The gentleman, who sports a magnificent set of mutton-chop whiskers, leans forward to kiss the girl whilst simultaneously reaching out behind her to grasp at a rich, and possibly symbolic, tart. The story is said to have been composed by Thackeray to entertain the grandchildren of Sir Charles and Lady Sarah Elton of Clevedon Court, Somerset. Thackeray was a close friend of the Elton family and made several visits to Clevedon Court (including in 1848), using it as the basis for Castlewood Hall in Esmond. Thackeray was an accomplished illustrator (he had attempted to make a career as an artist in the 1830s) and these confidently drawn watercolours bear comparison with Thackeray’s illustrations for Vanity Fair (the parson, for example, resembles Thackeray’s depiction of Mr Osborne in his novel). References to Thackeray’s work and milieu are also threaded through the manuscript. The putative printer “John Snobbe” seems to refer to Thackeray’s Book of Snobs, published in 1848; the parson is inspired to travel by ‘The Loving Ballad of Lord Bateman’, a favourite of Thackeray; the parson’s source of news in Europe is Galignani, to which Thackeray had been a contributing writer; and Thackeray himself had attended a Jenny Lind concert in June 1848. Thackeray was also very much at home with the Irish setting of the story: he had published his own travelogue, The Irish Sketch Book of 1842, and had subsequently written extensively on Ireland for Punch. The Irish setting perhaps suggests that the manuscript was written to console the children of Sir Charles’s fourth daughter Laura, who had died in March 1848, and who had married Charles Samuel Grey, Paymaster of the Civil Services in Ireland. In any case, the story is set in the affluent world of the urban Protestant middle class, far removed from the desperate poverty of famine-stricken rural Ireland of the 1840s. The handwriting is not Thackeray’s rapid cursive, nor is it his more careful upright handwriting. However, these differences may be because the handwriting is carefully printed with almost every letter formed separately, perhaps as its intended readership were young children. They are similar to the French handwritten captions that accompanied Thackeray’s early comic illustrated manuscript 'The Heroic Adventures of M. Boudin'. PROVENANCE The Elton family, baronets, of Clevedon Court, Somerset; acquired c.1966 by John Ruston, Commins Bookshop, Bournemouth

View 1 of Lot 81: [W.M. Thackeray, attrib.] | Illustrated manuscript, "A Wonderfulle ... History of a certain Flock of Sheep", 1848

[w.m. thackeray, attrib.] | illustrated manuscript, "a wonderfulle ... history of a certain flock of sheep", 1848

Giuseppe Verdi Three autograph letters signed ("G Verdi"), including to Vincenzo Torelli i) to an unidentified correspondent, explaining that he has been ill, and that he is returning his libretto 'without having been able to admire and fully savour the beauties which are certainly scattered all over it', regretting that on account of his obligations he will be unable to set it to music, and noting that others will be more fortunate than he was "...Mi faccio quindi un dover di restituirle il suo libretto senza aver potuto completamente ammirare e gustare le bellezze che saranno certamente sparse ne suoi versi..." 1 page, 8vo (20.8 x 13.3cm), integral blank, modern typed transcription and English translation, Paris, 14 July 1855, horizontal and vertical folds, tiny tear to outer edge of first leaf, small tear to integral ii) to the Superintendent of the Royal Theatres in Naples, CONCERNING THE LIBRETTO OF UN BALLO IN MASCHERA, stating that he handed over the verses of his libretto for the approval of the authorities twenty-three days ago, on the morning of his arrival at Naples, but has since heard nothing, asking therefore to be informed of the decision so that he can make plans accordingly, referring also to the vague and contradictory rumours he has heard and which are keeping him in an uncertain state of mind "...Ella comprende benissimo il mio interesse per conoscere il vero stato delle cose, giacchè il mio trattenimento in Napoli, gl'impegni che mi richiamo altrove, le voci vaghe e contradittorie della strada, e la nissuna comunicazione da parte dell'Impresa, di cui non veggo tampoco alcun componente da moltissimi giorni mi tengono in uno stato anormale ed indeciso..." 2 pages, 4to (27.7 x 19.7cm), integral blank, modern typed transcription and English translation, Naples, 5 February 1858, horizontal and vertical folds, traces of mount to integral, light browning iii) to his friend Vincenzo Torelli, ABOUT UN BALLO IN MASCHERA, posing the question how much he would like to stage Un ballo in maschera in Naples, but noting that some sort of accident might prevent his coming, asking for the date and time of the first performance, enquiring who will be the page and whether he will be paid two thousand ducats, and wondering from whom they will have got the score "...Quanto verrei voluntieri a mettere in scena il Ballo in maschera a Napoli? Ma in questi giorni accade cosa, una disgrazia un danno forse che me lo potrà impedire..." 1 page, 8vo (20.7 x 13.1cm), integral autograph address-panel, red seal, modern typed transcription and English translation, Busseto, 26 January 1861, seal tears with some loss of paper, large hole to address-panel, affecting text in a few places, splitting along vertical folds The libretto of Verdi's opera Un ballo in maschera (by Antonio Somma, after Scribe's libretto for Auber's Gustave III) was subject to a number of changes by the Naples censorship, which ultimately proved unacceptable to the composer. After winning a legal case against the theatre management Verdi was able to take his opera elsewhere (it was given its first performance at the Teatro Apollo in Rome, on 17 February 1859). Vincenzo Torelli was secretary of the Teatro San Carlo, Naples, and the owner of a Neapolitan newspaper ('L'Omnibus') in which he wrote on musical matters.

View 1 of Lot 100: Giuseppe Verdi | Three autograph letters signed, including to Vincenzo Torelli, 1855-1861

giuseppe verdi | three autograph letters signed, including to vincenzo torelli, 1855-1861

An illuminated leaf from a Book of Hours depicting the Crucifixion by the Master of Guillebert de Mets

An illuminated leaf from a Book of Hours depicting the Crucifixion by the Master of Guillebert de Mets on vellum, in Latin, (Southern Netherlands, probably Ghent) c.1420–25, 17 × 95 mm; a beautiful miniature contained within a gently arched frame, surrounded by luxurious and substantial gold border, infilled with curling and unfurling vegetal and floral elements, with the vegetal elements creating colourful swirls at each corner of the frame; the miniature is surrounded on three sides by further decorative vines with trefoil leaves and floral elements; at the centre of the miniature is the emaciated body of Christ on the cross, flanked in the background by the crucified figures of Gestas and Dismas under a dark blue, foreboding-looking sky; in front of the cross to the left is the mourning Virgin Mary, clothed in dark blue, supported in her grief by the Apostle St John, while on the right of the composition a group of soldiers taunt and torment the crucified Dismas; verso inaccessible due to mount, excellent condition. PROVENANCE Made for a Book of Hours, c.1420–1425 by the Master of Guillebert de Mets (Hand A)‘t Goy-Houten, Antiquariat Forum.Paris/Chicago, Les Enluminures (inv.no.5768), 2007.Jörn Günther, 2008. A LUXURIOUS AND EXUBERANT WORK BY THE RENOWNED BUT ELUSIVE MASTER OF GUILLEBERT DE METS COMMENTARY The luxurious miniature at hand is executed most likely by the Master of Guillebert de Mets, specifically Hand A, found in the Rijm Hours (Baltimore, WAM, MS W166). Guillebert himself was an adept scribe and a native of Grammont. Working in the service of Philip the Good, he wrote the earliest vernacular chronicle of medieval Paris, called Description de Paris. While in Paris, the young Guillebert rubbed shoulders with some of France’s intellectual elite, including one of the most influential female authors, Christine de Pizan. However, after the murder of his main patron, John the Fearless, in 1419, Guillebert was forced to return to Grammont, where he started to build his own book business. While he executed the calligraphic elements of manuscript production, he assembled a group of accomplished illuminators who were soon in demand at the ducal court of Burgundy and created works for leading bibliophiles of the time. Sixty-four manuscripts and fragments have survived from this prolific workshop and were assembled by Vanwijnsberghe and Verroken in 2017. Their research highlighted the close relationship and artistic exchange between Paris, as a centre of the French book trade, and the Low Countries and the Burgundian court. This exchange and bilateral influence are tangible in the elegant products of the workshop of the Master of Guillebert de Mets, who in his capacity as a scribe had worked for both French and Flemish patrons. ILLUMINATION Using a beautiful and precious palette of blues and greens with orange and red accents, the artist creates long figures with alabaster complexions that are highlighted by the strong colours used for their floor-length garments. While the border is preciously rendered in gold, silver is used for the now darkened sky, an artistic technique that was also used on some pages of the Hours of John the Fearless. While the Book of Hours in which our leaf originated has not yet been identified, the Crucifixion usually introduced the opening of the Hours of the Cross. The sombre nature of the dramatic scenes is contrasted by a few small but poignant details that enliven the borders, such as a devil and angel near the head of the border who are grasping the souls of Gestas and Dismas, the impenitent and the good thief. While Dismas’s soul, in the form of a child-like human figure, looks towards the angel who carries it away to heaven, the soul of Gestas turns with a shocked expression towards the viewer, away from the smirking face of the devil. In the right-side margin, a shield of one of Jesus’s tormentors, which is decorated with a frowning human countenance, overlaps into the border of the initial, bridging the space between the illuminated scene and its surrounding decoration. The three figures of Christ’s tormentors are gaudily and exuberantly dressed; their faces stylised into grotesque masks. Especially the little face peering out between the cross and the frame has more animalistic features than human. The figure of the almost lifeless Mary and John the Baptist, who supports her, is gracefully modelled and presents a strong and composed contrast to the raucous group of tormentors on the right. While the two bodies of the thieves are twisting and turning in agony, the emaciated form of Christ’s body is displayed almost gracefully and still on the cross, only moments before his death. In their publication, Vanwijnsberghe and Verroken (2017, p.196) attribute the leaf to the Master of Guillebert de Mets, specifically Hand A. The leaf is executed in a style similar to that of the Rijm Hours, which were created for Daneel Rijm and his wife Elisabeth van Munte — well known and were prominent members of Ghent’s urban elite. The manuscript was probably commissioned around 1415–1425, when Daneel was at the height of his career and possessed a considerable fortune. Vanwijnsberghe and Verroken suggest that the Rijm Hours are an early work by the principal illuminator of the Mets group, who at that point was beginning to distance himself from the style of the Master of the Hours of John the Fearless by which he had been influenced and guided so far, and starting to take a more prominent role in the execution of this manuscript. Due to this transitional nature of the manuscript, it is however difficult to draw clear and immutable distinctions between the two hands. Our leaf extends and develops the already awe inspiring crucifixion scene found in the Rijm Hours through the addition of narrative detail that underlines the tragedy of the moment; such as the inclusion of the two crucified thieves and the angel and devil in the borders who carry away the souls of the thieves, one to heaven, one to eternal damnation. LITERATURE “The Master of Guillebert de Mets: An Illuminator between Paris and Ghent?” In Als ich can: Liber amicorum in memory of Professor Dr. Maurits Smeyers, edited by Bert Cardon, Jan Van der Stock, and Dominique Vanwijnsberghe, 921–939. Leuven: Peeters, 2002. “The Master of Guillebert de Mets, Philip the Good, and the Breviary of John the Fearless.” Quaerendo 38, no. 2–3 (2008): 279–298. Vanwijnsberghe, Dominique, and Erik Verroken. À l’Escu de France: Guillebert de Mets et la peinture de livres à Gand à l’époque de Jan van Eyck (1410–1450). Brussels: KIK-IRPA, 2017. Croenen, Godfried. “Guillebert de Mets: A Bilingual Scribe, Author and Publisher between Flanders and Paris (c. 1390–c. 1438).” In Medieval French on the Move, Berlin: de Gruyter, 2025, 287–306. Somers, Sophie. “The Varied Occupations of a Burgundian Scribe: Guillebert de Mets.” In Als Ich Can, 2002, 1227–1246.

View 1 of Lot 14: An illuminated leaf from a Book of Hours depicting the Crucifixion by the Master of Guillebert de Mets, on vellum, in Latin, (Southern Netherlands, probably Ghent), c.1420–25

an illuminated leaf from a book of hours depicting the crucifixion by the master of guillebert de mets, on vellum, in latin, (southern netherlands, probably ghent), c.1420–25

History of Science & Technology

The Newly Incorporated Edison Electric Light Company – Document Number 1.

The Newly Incorporated Edison Electric Light Company – Document Number 1. THOMAS EDISON. Document Signed (“Thomas A. Edison”), November 15, 1878, 9 pp recto/verso being an agreement between Thomas Alva Edison and The Edison Electric Light Company, also signed by Norvin Green as President, Calvin Goddard as Secretary, Francis R. Upton and Charles Roth as witnesses. The file docket reads: “No.1 / Thomas A. Edison / with / The Edison Electric Light Company / Agreement / Dated November 15, 1878.” And “original,” written in red ink. WITH: THOMAS EDISON. Letter Signed (Thomas A. Edison”), New York, November 15, 1878, 1p, 9 ¾ x 7 ¾ inches, to Egisto P. Fabbri and Grosvenor P. Lowrey, depositing 1,000 shares of stock in trust for the two original subscribers. The file docket reads: “2. / Trust Agreement / Thomas A. Edison / Dated: -Nov. 15th 1878.”

Results for "red sub"