• Sotheby’s
    Fine Books and Manuscripts
    8 December 2023
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: [Austen, Jane] — Isaac D'Israeli. Jane Austen's copy of Curiosities of Literature. 100,000 - 150,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: [Austen, Jane]. A handsome first edition in boards of the author's debut novel. 70,000 - 100,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Brontë, Charlotte. "I am no bird; and no net ensnares me..." 100,000 - 150,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Eliot, George. The author's magnum opus. 25,000 - 35,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Whitman, Walt. Manuscript written upon the Death of Lincoln, 1865. 60,000 - 80,000 USD
  • Sotheby’s
    Important Modern Literature from the Library of an American Filmmaker
    8 December 2023
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Kerouac, Jack. Typescript scroll of The Dharma Bums. Typed by Kerouac in Orlando, Florida, 1957, published by Viking in 1958. 300,000 - 500,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Hemingway, Ernest. The autograph manuscript of "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber." [Key West, finished April 1936]. 300,000 - 500,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Miller, Henry. Typescript of The Last Book, a working title for Tropic of Cancer, written circa 1931–1932. 100,000 - 150,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Ruscha, Ed. Twentysix Gasoline Stations, with a lengthy inscription to Joe Goode. 40,000 - 60,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Hemingway, Ernest. in our time, first edition of Hemingway’s second book. 30,000 - 50,000 USD
  • Swann
    Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
    December 7, 2023
    Swann, Dec. 7: Samuel Augustus Mitchell, A New Map of Texas, Oregon and California with the Regions Adjoining, Philadelphia, 1846. $3,500 to $5,000.
    Swann, Dec. 7: 17th–19th-century case maps of various locations. $1,500 to $2,000.
    Swann, Dec. 7: Andreas Cellarius, Haemisphaerium Stellatum Boreale Cum Subiecto Haemisphaerio Terrestri, celestial chart, Amsterdam, 1708. $2,500 to $3,500.
    Swann
    Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
    December 7, 2023
    Swann, Dec. 7: Vincenzo Coronelli, Set of engraved gores for Coronelli’s monumental 42-inch terrestrial globe, Venice, circa 1688–97. $18,000 to $22,000.
    Swann, Dec. 7: Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer, group of four navigational charts, Antwerp, 1580s. $2,000 to $3,000.
    Swann, Dec. 7: Thomas Bros, Block Book of Berkeley, Oakland, 1920s. $800 to $1,200.
    Swann
    Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
    December 7, 2023
    Swann, Dec. 7: John Nieuhoff & John Ogilby, An Embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces, map of China, plan of Canton, London, 1673. $1,200 to $1,800.
    Swann, Dec. 7: Frederick Sander, Reichenbachia, St. Albans, 1888-1894. $5,000 to $7,000.
    Swann, Dec. 7: Two early illustrated works on horsemanship and breeding, Nuremberg, early 18th century. $700 to $800.
    Swann
    Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
    December 7, 2023
    Swann, Dec. 7: John Gould, A Monograph of the Ramphastidae, or Family of Toucans. Supplement to the First Edition, London, 1834; 1855. $40,000 to $60,000.
    Swann, Dec. 7: John Pinkerton, A General Collection of the Best and Most Interesting Voyages and Travels in All Parts of the World, London, 1808–14. $1,500 to $2,500.
    Swann, Dec. 7: Oakley Hoopes Bailey, Hackensack, New Jersey, Boston, 1896. $800 to $1,200.
  • CHRISTIE’S
    Valuable Books and Manuscripts
    London auction
    13 December
    Find out more
    Christie’s, Explore now
    TREW, Christoph Jacob (1695–1769). Plantae Selectae quarum imagines ad exemplaria naturalia Londini in hortus curiosorum. [Nuremberg: 1750–1773]. £30,000–40,000
    Christie’s, Explore now
    VERBIEST, Ferdinand (1623–88). Liber Organicus Astronomiae Europaeae apud Sinas restituate. [Beijing: Board of Astronomy, 1674]. £250,000–350,000
    Christie’s, Explore now
    PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF ALICE & NIKOLAUS HARNONCOURT. Master of Jean Rolin (active 1445–65). Book of Hours, use of Paris, in Latin and French, [Paris, c.1450–1460]. £120,000–180,000
    Christie’s, Explore now
    A SILVER MICROSCOPE. Probably by Antoni van Leeuwenhoek (1632–1723), c.1700. £150,000–250,000
    Christie’s, Explore now
    AN ENGLISH HORARY QUADRANT
    C.1311. £100,000–150,000

Rare Book Monthly

Articles - August - 2022 Issue

Memoirs of Honoré Riouffe: Romantic Nightmare during the Révolution

The French national narrative has it that the Révolution of 1789 is but a blessing. The people standing up against tyranny and triumphing against all odds—vive la France! But the enthusiasm of 1789 gave way to an unbelievable thirst for blood in 1793—that’s when the dark period known as The Terror started. Honoré Riouffe (1764-1813) was arrested and survived to testify in a book, Mémoires d’un détenu... (Paris, An II): the other (romantic) side of the Révolution.

 

When the Révolution broke out, Riouffe immediately joined in alongside the Girondins—a famous revolutionary faction. Expectations were great, but as Danton once said, “Revolutions will always put the most villains in charge.” It wasn’t long before the dream of a better society became a bloody nightmare. Republican factions became radical and instituted the regime of Terror in 1793. Yesterday a hero, today a traitor: Riouffe was arrested and thrown into La Conciergerie in Paris. “People will cry when hearing about the atrocities I have witnessed and suffered for 14 months,” he writes. Two hundred years later, his narrative is still shocking. Riouffe witnessed the Terror from the inside, as France was left in the hands of the ignorant and vile enforcers of dangerous fanatics such as Marat and Robespierre.

 

From all over France, thousands of victims were sent to La Conciergerie,” Riouffe states. It was actually but a stop on their way to the guillotine. “They had built a huge aqueduct on Saint Antoine Square. Let’s say it, no matter how horrific: they carried human blood by buckets; during the executions, four men were used daily to carry them to this aqueduct.” In the farcical revolutionary courts, drunk and rude chaps from the rabble turned judges, and sent thousands of people to death. Almost none escaped their wrath. “During the last months, it was like hell—day and night the doors were permanently locked and unlocked. Sixty persons would arrive each evening and sent to the guillotine. The next day, a hundred new ones replaced them, who were executed the following day (...). I’ve seen trails of men sent to the slaughterhouse. They wouldn’t even sigh; they were silent. They seemed to be able of one thing only, dying.” Just like the rest of France, they were in a state of awe.

 

Riouffe miraculously survived and later led a successful political career. But while in La Conciergerie, he witnessed the last hours of some famous people, including Camille Desmoulins—described in our schoolbooks as hero of the Révolution. “He didn’t reach the heights of his writings on that occasion. He made it clear that day that you can be both a spicy writer and a pitiful man.”

 

Before he was beheaded too, Danton—Robespierre’s arch-nemesis—went through La Conciergerie. “He kept on talking (...) loud enough so we could overhear him. Robespierre had outwitted him, and he felt ashamed. He said many things, including some he probably didn’t mean—and his ejaculations were punctuated with curse words.” Riouffe remembered some of his statements: “I leave everything in a state of waste; there’s not one man of value at the government.” Or: “The fact that Robespierre was never as friendly with Camille Desmoulin as the day before he had him arrested is the proof that he’s just another Nero.” Riouffe also saw “citizen Roland”—Manon Roland, one of the Girondins’ leaders. “She the soul of a Republican in a gracious body kneaded by a certain elegancy of Court. We were all around her, in awe with her. (...) The day she was executed, she had dressed in white; her dark hair was falling on her shoulders. (...) On the square where the guillotine stood, she bowed in front of the statue of the liberty and uttered those memorable words:Oh liberty, so many crimes are committed in your name!”

 

With the German occupation of WWII, the Révolution is arguably the most fascinating period of our history—I remember listening to my history teacher as a teenager, drinking his words like the aqueduct of St Antoine square drank the blood of my ancestors. This book printed at the time smells the sweat, the fear and the blood of those who went through this terrible period. Let’s not be naive, though—this is a political book, as shown by the surprising text printed on the last page: The Directoire of the city of Toulouse has received the letter from the Executive Commission of Public Instruction on Floréal (April) 1st, along with a book entitled Mémoires d’un Détenu... that we are invited to promote and to distribute. (...) As it perspires nothing but a love for freedom and a hatred for tyranny (...) it shall be printed 1,000 copies of it and distributed all over our district. Traitor yesterday, hero of the Republic today!

 

As far as the former “privilège du Roi” was concerned, it was officially abolished of course—only to be replaced by a Republican privilege: Read and approved by us, representatives of the people, for the reason that the painting of the tyranny imposed on the French people is the only way to prevent new attempts against its sovereignty. You could now offend the king, but not the Republic. It will come as no surprise then, that the passage about Camille Desmoulin was censored (or simply removed?) in at least one edition—the one at Paris, 1795. Anne de Mathan writes about the memoirs written by the disgraced Girondins in an article entitled Des Pierres pour Saturne... (openedition.org). She states: “They are combat texts that stigmatize their opponents and pretend to reveal their guilty projects.” She also explains why their reading is so intense: “Written by people facing death, they add a romantic dimension to the Girondins’ fate.” This is it—the romantic face of the Révolution. As if you were there—the power of old books.

 

 

T. Ehrengardt


Posted On: 2022-08-01 04:01
User Name: mairin

Good information, Thibault, and an excellent image & sources.
Re your reference to the executed, very brave Roland:
The Anglo-Irish writer, Mary Shackleton Leadbeater & her husband
(Ballitore Village, Co. Kildare, Ireland, an interesting Quaker experiment),
planned to visit Roland & her political workshops outside of Paris,
but (wisely) canceled the trip owing to the general mayhem in Paris.
Maureen E. Mulvihill, Collector.
___


Rare Book Monthly

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  • Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Roberts (David) & Croly (George). The Holy Land, Syria, Idumae, Arabia, Egypt and Nubia. Lond. 1842 - 1843 [-49]. First Edn. €10,000 to €15,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Incunabula: O'Fihily (Maurice). Duns Scotus Joannes: O'Fihely, Maurice Abp… Venice, 20th November 1497. €8,000 to €12,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: An important file of documents with provenance to G.A. Newsom, manager of the Jacob’s Factory in Dublin, occupied by insurgents during Easter Week 1916. €6,000 to €9,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: WILDE (Oscar), 1854-1900, playwright, aesthete and wit. A lock of Wilde’s Hair, presented by his son to the distinguished Irish actor Mícheál MacLiammóir. €6,000 to €8,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Heaney (Seamus). Bog Poems, London, 1975. Special Limited Edition, No. 33 of 150 Copies, Signed by Author. Illus. by Barrie Cooke. €4,000 to €6,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Binding: Burke, Thomas O.P. (de Burgo). Hibernia Dominicana, Sive Historia Provinciae Hiberniae Ordinis Praedicatorum, ... 1762. First Edition. €4,000 to €6,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: COLLINS, Michael. An important TL, 29 July 1922, addressed to GOVERNMENT on ‘suggested Proclamation warning all concerned that troops have orders to shoot prisoners found sniping, ambushing etc.’. €3,000 to €4,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Scott Fitzgerald (F.) The Great Gatsby, New York (Charles Scribner's Sons) 1925, First Edn. €2,000 to €3,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Yeats (W.B.) The Poems of W.B. Yeats, 2 vols. Lond. (MacMillan & Co.) 1949. Limited Edition, No. 46 of 375 Copies Only, Signed by W.B. Yeats. €1,500 to €2,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Miller (William) Publisher. The Costume of the Russian Empire, Description in English and French, Lg. folio London (S. Gosnell) 1803. First Edn. €1,000 to €1,500.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Miller (William) Publisher. The Costume of Turkey, Illustrated by a Series of Engravings. Lg. folio Lond.(T. Bensley) 1802. First Edn. €800 to €1,200.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Mason (Geo. Henry). The Costume of China, Illustrated with Sixty Engravings. Lg. folio London (for W. Miller) 1800. First Edn. €1,400 to €1,800

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