Bloomsbury Auctions

48
BLOOMSBURY AUCTIONS
Lot 226
226. Papal Bulls etc.- Bu l l s, e c c l e s i a s t i c l l e t t e r s, i n d u l g e n c e s
e t c., 32 pieces (1 manuscript, rest printed), some signed, most
stamped, some with woodcut decoration, numerous tears, folds,
browned, bound in contemporary vellum, creased and soiled, v.s.,
v.d., Rome, 1605-1737. £400 - £600
Lot 227
227. Pausanias. ac c u r ata gr æ c i æ de s c r i p t i o, fr a n ç o i s d e
ma l h e r B e’s c o p y w i t h h i s a u t o g r a p h p e r s o n a l m o t t o ‘de l e c ta r e
in do m i n o et da B i t t i B i p e t i t i o n e s co r d i s tu i’ a n d h i s s i g n at u r e
‘fr. ma l h e r B e, 1619’ to t i t l e a n d w i t h t h e s i g n at u r e ‘ma l h e r B e,
st ai g n a n’ on rear of front cover beneath a later pastedown, a
later engraved bookplate is also present here (it would appear
that this later bookplate has been placed over ma l h e r B e’s o w n
B o o k p l at e (as the crossed feathers or quills found at the base of
his armorial bookplate are visible here), text in Latin and Greek,
double-column, woodcut head-pieces and initials, rather browned
and spotted, 2 small wormholes to foot of all to C1, contemporary
calf, gilt olive branch wreath centre-pieces, head of spine with
gilt monogram made up of a crowned phoenix and motto beneath
‘Rinasce piu gloriosa’, rebacked and recornered, spine worn, but
holding firm, rubbed and scuffed, [Brunet IV, 455], folio, Hanover,
Typis Wechelianis, apud hæredes Claudii Marnii, 1613.
£1,200 - £1,400
*** Books from the library of Malherbe are rare. We have only been
able to trace two others at auction in the last 25 years (Christie’s,
London, 27th November, 1996, lot 397 (signature to title and an
occasional ms. note only) and Sotheby’s, France, 21st November,
2008, lot 12).
François de Malherbe (1555-1628) French poet, critic, and
translator. His early career was largely unsuccessful and it was
not until 1600 when he presented an ode of welcome to Marie de’
Medici that he made his mark. However, it took another five years
for him to summoned to the court of Henri IV, where he lived for
the next 20 years. The personal motto he adopted during that time
comes from verse 4 of Psalm 37, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and
he will give you the desires of your heart”. According to Hector
Lefuel in his article François Malherbe (1555-1628) bibliophile,
1925, this is often inscribed on the title pages of books presented
by Malherbe to his son, Marc-Antoine, who was tragically killed in
a duel. The further inscription which includes ‘St.Aignan’ discloses
Malherbe’s pride in his ancestry, with records dating back to 1214
to a Jean de Malherbe, seigneur de St. Aignan.
With regard to the binding it is interesting to note that Lefuel
mentions a binding on another book from the poet’s library which
too has the same centre-pieces of olive wreaths.
Lot 228
228. Sincerus (Jodocus) it i n e r a r i u m ga l l i æ, engraved additional
pictorial title and 22 folding views, later marbled boards, lower
joint splitting, rubbed, a good copy, 12mo, Amsterdam, apud
Jodocum Jansonium, 1655. £300 - £400
*** A guide book to France and neighbouring countries, including
Switzerland and the Netherlands.