Rare Book Monthly

Book Catalogue Reviews - December - 2015 Issue

Books from the Library of Anthony Hobson from Forest Books

From the library of Anthony Hobson.

From the library of Anthony Hobson.

Forest Books has published a catalogue entitled A Selection of Books from the Library of Anthony R. A. Hobson. Anthony Hobson was a bibliophile, expert, particularly on Renaissance bindings, author of numerous books and articles about antiquarian books and manuscripts, and a director at Sotheby's auction, in charge of the book department. He succeeded his father, who had been one of the purchasers of Sotheby's in 1908, when the latter died in 1949. Anthony Hobson remained in that role until the 1970's when he left the firm, concerned about its expansion. Along the way, Hobson oversaw many important sales, perhaps the most recognizable being the final parts of the century-long Thomas Phillipps sale. He was a member of numerous book collecting societies and an avid collector. Mr. Hobson died in 2014 at the age of 92. In an article in the Spectator, his son noted that, while he felt sad dispersing his father's collection, his father had told him that when the time came, he should "let other collectors have their turn." Here's your turn. These are a few of those books.

 

Speaking of the obsessive Mr. Phillipps, item 128 is Portrait of an Obsession. The Life of Sir Thomas Phillipps, the World's Greatest Book Collector. Adapted by Nicolas Barker from the Five Volumes of Phillipps Studies. This adaptation of the 5-volume set by A. N. L Munby was published in 1967. Phillipps had been dead almost a century by that time, but it would still be another ten years before his final sale at Sotheby's would be held (some further remnants of his collection were sold by Christie's in 2006). Phillipps was beyond obsessive, building a collection unrivaled in size, even though he was a man of relatively modest means. He had a good income from a trust, but not nearly enough to cover his desire to own, quite literally, everything. His homes were filled to the ceiling, his bank account constantly in debt. While his book collection was massive, it was his manuscripts that far exceeded anything previously seen. Phillipps was noted for buying out entire libraries, auctions, and other inventories, particularly of manuscripts. The book comes with a letter asking Anthony Hobson to review this book, a 5-page typescript of that review, and some letters from Munby. Munby was noted for some ghost stories he wrote while a prisoner of war in Germany, but then settled down to a life as a librarian and in the book trade, a few years with Bernard Quaritch and several at Sotheby's. Priced at £95 (British pounds, or about $145 U.S. dollars).

 

Item 5 was in effect one of the earliest bibliographies. It is a catalogue of a large and magnificent collection, Index Bibliothecae qua Franciscus Barberinus... It was published in 1681 after the library's owner, Cardinal Francesco Barberini, died. Cardinal Barberini was a wealthy member of a wealthy family. At the young age of 26 he was named a cardinal. It didn't hurt that the then Pope, Urban VIII, was his uncle. Urban also named another nephew and his brother cardinals. Cardinal Barberini conducted diplomatic missions for the Pope, but more importantly, headed up the Vatican library. Meanwhile, his growing wealth enabled him to build his own spectacular library. The library at a minimum contained over 31,000 printed books when the Cardinal died, and a large collection of manuscripts. This catalogue, which covers only the printed books, comes in two volumes. A third volume for the manuscripts was planned but never published. This catalogue is considered one of the earliest bibliographies because it was arranged in a revolutionary manner for the time – alphabetical order by name. Barberini was noted as a great promoter of the arts (and spending). He deserves special recognition as one of only three of the judges who refused to sign the sentence of Galileo after his second trial, and arranged for him to spend his remaining years in comfortable surroundings, rather than being shipped off to a monastery. £5,000 (US $7,609).

 

Here is a word to the "wise" that everyone involved with rare books needs to keep in mind – not everything is as it seems. Item 149 is Thomas J. Wise in the Original Cloth. The Life and Record of the Forger of the Nineteenth Century Pamphlets, published in 1946. The author was Wilfred Partington, one of the primary investigators responsible for Wise's downfall. Thomas Wise was once a respected scholar, but he found he could make more money through book forgery. He would not just copy existing books, but create new ones under an author's name. He might take an article that first appeared in a collection and create a separate edition, dated from before the collection. Voila! He had an extraordinarily rare, previously unknown, "true" first edition. It worked for a long time, but not forever. This copy comes with an interesting letter from C. G. de Graz, managing directory of Sotheby's auction rooms, to Mrs. Wise in 1933, when Wise's fraud was first becoming known. In it de Graz writes, "I am not writing to Mr. Wise directly... all of us here sympathize with Mr. Wise in the unhappy controversy which has arisen this Summer..." Perhaps de Graz was unconvinced, or unaware of the extent of Wise's forgeries at the time. Other letters included are Mrs. Wise's reply, a letter from de Graz to Partington thanking him for a copy of his book, and a copy of a letter from Hobson to Partington. £75 (US $114).

 

I am not otherwise familiar with this book, but the quote provided by Forest has to be a classic description of a book. Item 231 is Recollections of Mr James Lenox of New York and the Formation of his Library, by Henry Stevens, published in 1886. The quote describes the book as, "Recollections of Henry Stevens by Henry Stevens, with Occasional References to Mr. James Lenox." £45 (US $68).

 

Forest Books may be reached at +44 1949-842360 or bib@forestbooks.co.uk. Their website is www.forestbooks.co.uk

Rare Book Monthly

  • Fonsie Mealy’s
    Rare Books & Collectors’ Sale
    April 30th & May 1st
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Taylor (Geo.) & Skinner (A.) Maps of the Roads of Ireland, Surveyed 1777. Lond. & Dublin 1778. €500 to €750.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Messingham (Thos.) Florilegium Insulae Sanctorum seu Vitae et Acta Sanctorum Hibernia, Paris 1624. €350 to €500.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Heaney (Seamus). The Haw Lantern, L. (Faber & Faber) 1987, First Edn., Signed and dated. €225 to €350.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Valencey (Lt. Col. Chas.) Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis, Vols. I-IV, 4 vols. Dublin 1786. €400 to €600.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Powerscourt (Viscount). A Description and History of Powerscourt, Lond. 1903. €350 to €500.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Moryson (Fynes). An Itinerary ... Containing His Ten Yeeres Travel Through the Twelve Dominions of Germany, Bohermerland, Sweitzerland…, Lond. (John Beale) 1617. €700 to €1,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: After Buffon, Birds of Europe, c. 1820. Approx. 120 fine hd. cold. plts., mor. backed boards. €125 to €250.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Dunlevy (Andrew). An Teagasg Criosduidhe De Reir Ceasda agus Freagartha... The Catechism or Christian Doctrine by Way of Question and Answer, Paris (James Guerin) 1742. €400 to €700.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: The Georgian Society Records of Eighteen-Century Domestic Architecture in Dublin, 5 vols. Complete, Dublin 1909-1913. €500 to €750.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Scale (Bernard). An Hibernian Atlas or General Description of the Kingdom of Ireland, L. (Robert Sayer & John Bennet) 1776. €625 to €850.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: [Johnson (Rev. Samuel)]. Julian the Apostate Being a Short Account of his Life, together with a Comparison of Popery and Paganism,L. (Langley Curtis) 1682. €300 to €400.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Nichlson (Wm.) Illustrator. An Almanac of Twelve Sports, Lond. 1898. €300 to €400.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Heaney (Seamus) trans. The Light of the Leaves, 2 vols., Mexico (Imprenta de los Tropicos/Bunholt) 1999. €1,500 to €2,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Fleming (Ian). Moonraker, L. (Jonathan Cape) 1955. €1,500 to €2,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Apr 30-May 1: Heaney (Seamus) & Egan (Felim) artist. Squarings, Twelve Poems, D. (Hieroglyph Editions Ltd.) 1991. €1,750 to €2,250.
  • Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: ANDERSEN'S EXTREMELY RARE FIRST APPEARANCE IN PRINT. "Scene af: Røverne i Vissenberg i Fyen." in Harpen, 1822.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: FIRST ISSUE OF THE FIRST THREE FAIRY TALE PAMPHLETS, WITH ALL INDICES AND TITLE PAGES. Eventyr, fortalte for Børn. 1835-1837.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: THE FIRST FAIRY TALES WITH A SIGNED CARTE DE VISITE OF ANDERSEN AS FRONTIS. Eventyr, fortalte for Børn. 1835-1837.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: KARL LAGERFELD. Original pastel and ink drawing in gold, red and black for Andersen's The Emperor's New Clothes (1992), "La cassette de l'Empereur."
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: PRESENTATION COPY OF THE SIXTH PAMPHLET FOR PETER KOCH. Eventyr, Fortalte For Børn, Second Series, Third Pamphlet. 1841. Publisher's wrappers, complete with all pre- and post-matter.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN RARE AUTOGRAPH QUOTATION SIGNED IN ENGLISH from "The Ugly Duckling," c.1860s.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: HEINRICH LEFLER, ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR FOR ANDERSEN'S SNOW QUEEN, "Die Schneekönigin," 1910.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: FIRST EDITION OF ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES IN ENGLISH. Wonderful Stories for Children. London, 1846.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: ANDERSEN ON MEETING CHARLES DICKENS. Autograph Letter Signed ("H.C. Andersen") in English to William Jerdan, July 20, 1847.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: PRESENTATION COPY FOR EDGAR COLLIN. Nye Eventyr og Historier. Anden Raekke. 1861.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: DOLL HOUSE FURNITURE BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSON, DECORATED WITH FANTASTICAL CUT-OUTS, for the children of Jonna Stampe (née Drewsen), his godchildren.
    Bonhams, Apr. 21-29: PRESENTATION COPY FOR GEORG BRANDES. Dryaden. Et Eventyr fra Udstillingstiden i Paris 1867. 1868.
  • Jeschke Jádi
    Rare Book Auction 155
    Saturday April 26, 2025
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 962. Baird. United States Exploring Expedition. Philadelphia 1858.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 772. Edith Holland Norton. Brazilian Flowers. Coombe Croft 1893.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 49. Petrarca. Das Gluecksbuch, Augsburg 1536.
    Jeschke Jádi
    Rare Book Auction 155
    Saturday April 26, 2025
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 1496. Jacob / Picasso. Chronique des Temps, 1956.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 8. Augustinus. De moribus ecclesie. Cologne 1480.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 17. Heures a lusaige de Noyon. Paris 1504.
    Jeschke Jádi
    Rare Book Auction 155
    Saturday April 26, 2025
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 13. Schedel. Buch der Chronicken. Nürnberg 1493.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 957. Donovan. Insects of China. London 1798.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 123. A holy martyr. Tuscany, Florence, mid-14th century.
    Jeschke Jádi
    Rare Book Auction 155
    Saturday April 26, 2025
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 438. Dante. La Divine Comédie. Paris 1963.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 602. Firdausi. Histoire de Minoutchehr. Paris 1919
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 26: Lot 994. Westwood. Oriental Entomology. London 1848.
  • Sotheby's
    Sell Your Fine Books & Manuscripts
    Sotheby’s: The Shem Tov Bible, 1312 | A Masterpiece from the Golden Age of Spain. Sold: 6,960,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: Ten Commandments Tablet, 300-800 CE | One of humanity's earliest and most enduring moral codes. Sold: 5,040,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: William Blake | Songs of Innocence and of Experience. Sold: 4,320,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: The Declaration of Independence | The Holt printing, the only copy in private hands. Sold: 3,360,000 USD
    Sotheby's
    Sell Your Fine Books & Manuscripts
    Sotheby’s: Thomas Taylor | The original cover art for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Sold: 1,920,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: Machiavelli | Il Principe, a previously unrecorded copy of the book where modern political thought began. Sold: 576,000 GBP
    Sotheby’s: Leonardo da Vinci | Trattato della pittura, ca. 1639, a very fine pre-publication manuscript. Sold: 381,000 GBP
    Sotheby’s: Henri Matisse | Jazz, Paris 1947, the complete portfolio. Sold: 312,000 EUR

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