Susanne Schulz-Falster Catalogue Ten

Clausewitz’s Vom Kriege grew out of a series of aphorisms forming the
basis of his lectures at the Berlin military academy. After his early death
from cholera they were published together with his other writings on warfare,
and form the Wrst three volumes of his collected works.
Borst 1651; PMM 297.
The Guild System in France
77 [CLICQUOT-BLERVACHE, Simon de and Vincent de
GOURNAY.] Memoire sur les Corps de Métiers, qui a remporté
le Prix, au jugement de l’Académie d’Amiens, en l’année 1757. Par
M. Delisle. La Haye, [n.p.], 1758. £800
12mo in 8s and 4s, pp. [ii], 117; slight dust-soiling to title page, else
clean and crisp; early twentieth century boards, extremities rubbed.
First edition under this title of this comprehensive study of the guild system
in France, by Clicquot-Blervache (1723–96), who in 1766 was to become
director general of manufactures and commerce. He traces the history of
the guild system in France, analyses its eVects and advocates its abolition.
He is particularly concerned with commerce and industry, and, with the
help of extensive examples and case studies, demonstrates that strict guild
regulations hinder economic progress by not allowing competition. In his
uncompromising work Clicquot de Blervache also makes suggestions on
how to abolish the guild system. Rather interestingly he appears to anticipate
the European union in the labour market, and demands that there
should be no national restrictions to the admission to a guild.
The work was Wrst issued the same year under the title Considérations sur
le Commerce, et en particulier sur les Compagnies, Sociétés et Maîtrises, with an
Amsterdam imprint, but according to INED the present version contains
more extensive details regarding the rules and regulations of the guilds.
Goldsmiths’–Kress 9340; Higgs 1719; INED 1140.
Illustrated Enlightenment Verse
78 COLPANI, Giuseppe. Poemetti e Lettere in Versi Sciolte.
Brescia, Giammaria Rizzardi, 1769. £980
8vo, pp. engraved title, engraved frontispiece, pp. 164, sixteen smaller
engravings in the text; contemporary full red morocco, spine with giltrules
and Xoral tool, sides with rococo gilt design within border, a.e.g.,
foot of spine repaired.
First collected edition of the appealing representation of enlightenment
ideas in didactic verse, illustrated with Wne engravings by Cagnoni. Under
the headings ‘love’, ‘toiletry’, ‘commerce’, and ‘taste’, Colpani describes
eighteenth century customs, giving plenty of social detail. Particularly attractive
are the Wne engravings, the section ‘toiletry’ is illustrated with a
woman in her night shirt having her hair done, while her husband looks on;
susanne schulz-falster rare books catalogue ten
‘taste’ has two putti pouring over architectural drawings, and ‘economics’
show a harbour scene with merchant ships. The Wnal section is taken up by
a number of blank verse poems on various enlightenment Wgures, including
Beccaria and Voltaire. Colpani (1738–1822) was a friend of Beccaria and
Verri, contributed to the enlightenment journal Il CaVe.
Both Il Commercio and Il Gusto were Wrst published separately in 1767.
Uncommon, RLIN and OCLC list copies at Yale, Harvard and New York Public
Library only.
Sleight of Hand
79 [CONJURING.] Magie für gesellschaftliches Vergnügen und
zur Minderung des Glaubens an Schwarzkünstler, Wahrsager,
Hexen und Gespenster. Grätz, Trötscher, 1797. £950
8vo, pp. xxiv, 262; title vignette, some spotting and foxing throughout,
due to paper stock; original pale blue boards, spine label; extremities a
little rubbed and boards discoloured, still a good copy.
Second or third edition, rare, of a popular handbook of conjuring and
magic, Wrst published in 1793. More than three hundred party tricks and
deceptions are described, ranging from card tricks to the preparation of invisible
ink, scientiWc recreations, optical illusions, various tricks involving
appearing and disappearing rings, Wre-eating, etc. All tricks are carefully described
and explained with the express intention of reducing popular belief
in magic, witches and ghosts, and instead revealing the ‘artistic’ and
scientiWc background to these tricks.
The anonymous work was popular and went through two further enlarged
editions in 1799 and 1801.
NUC and OCLC locate two copies of this edition (Harvard and Brown University)
only, and one copy of the Wrst edition (DLC).