Catalogue Number 12 - Susanne Schulz-Falster

Venetian Business Legislation
3 ALBERTI, Lodovico. Quadro del Sistema di Commercio e
d’Industria vigente nelle Provincie Venete. Venezia, Francesco
Andreola, 1823. £800
Tall 8vo, pp. xxiv, 232; numerous tables in the text; faint dampstain to
gutter margin; uncut in the original printed wrappers, head of spine
strengthened.
First and only edition of this detailed overview of the organisation of
Venetian industry and commerce in the early nineteenth century after the
Napoleonic wars by the secretary of the Venetian Chamber of Commerce,
Alberti. He is clearly intent on outlining the legislation that governs trade
and commerce, both in general terms and in relation to individual rules and
regulations. His treatise is divided into four main sections: in the Wrst he
discusses the rights and obligations of those who are engaged in commerce
and manufacturing. He covers trade rules and regulations, freedom of
trade, and its exceptions. In the second part he describes the policing of the
city’s trade and manufacturing, in particular the running of the exchange
and stock market, the control of book-keeping and accounting, of mercantile
associations, maritime traYc, and taxes. The third part covers various
methods of improving Venetian business performance by industrial patents
and prizes, but also by attracting business into Venice with the help of the
free port there, and the organisation of industrial fairs and exhibitions. Indirect
methods of improving business performance include better road and
water communication.
In the Wnal part Alberti proposes and describes an intricate and exceedingly
bureaucratic system of business legislation, with detailed lists of duties
and responsibilities. Throughout he refers extensively to the legal framework,
the civil code and local regulations.
The work is of great interest as it contains detailed information on
Venetian artisans and the emerging manufacturing industry. Alberti is particularly
thorough in his depiction of traditional Venetian crafts, even giving
their terminology in Venetian dialect.
Not in Einaudi, not in Kress Italian.
Comparative Assessment of French Financial Policy
4 [ANON.] Le Publicole François, ou Memoire sur les Moyens
d’augmenter la Richesse du Prince, par l’aisance des Peuples. Paris,
Morin, 1776. £650
12mo, pp. engraved title, 272, [2]; very faint damp-staining to lower
corner of title; uncut and mostly unopened in the original buV
wrappers; very crisp and clean; a Wne copy.
First and apparently only edition of this interesting assessment of French
Wnancial policy. The anonymous author contrasts the economic ideas of
Sully, who some hundred years before the physiocrats stressed the impor-
susanne schulz-falster rare books catalogue twelve
tance of agriculture over and above commerce, colonisation and money
markets, with those of Richelieu, who neglected commerce and trade in
favour of building up military strength, and those of Colbert, who eased
imports and increased consumption. In subsequent chapters he compares
France’s economic performance unfavourably with that of Holland and
England, before making detailed proposals for the revival of French agriculture,
industry and commerce. He identiWes numerous obstacles to an improvement
of French commerce, such as commercial insurance, restrictive
trading practices etc. His main emphasis is on the redevelopment of French
agriculture and industry, especially textile industry. He suggests a close assessment
of the relative productivity of the various branches of the textile
industry, for subsequent investment.
Goldsmiths’–Kress 11388; INED 6738.
Strategy and Tactics – a War Game
5 ARETIN, Wilhelm Freiherr von. Strategonon. Versuch die
Kriegsführung durch ein Spiel anschaulich darzustellen. Ansbach, in
Commission der Dolfußischen Buchhandlung, 1830. £1850
8vo, pp. xxxv, [i] blank, 145, [3] imprint, explanation of plates, errata,
with 4 printed tables bound in the text, and 4 large fold-out lithograph
plates bound at end, three of them hand-coloured; some light spotting;
contemporary thin buV boards, some discolouring to spine and some
staining to upper board; an attractive copy.
First edition, very rare, of a fascinating attempt at teaching military strategy
and tactics with the help of a game. The author gives a brief overview of