Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - October - 2006 Issue
Rare and Old Books from the Antiquariaat Forum
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Item 47 is a major ichthyology, or fish book for those not familiar with the term. Entitled Aquatilium animalium historiae liber primus, this work was created by Ippolito Salviani in the 16th century. Illustrations came from specimens found in the Roman fish market, along with images from other countries obtained by Salviani's sponsor, Cardinal Marcello Cervini. Cervini's untimely death delayed publication of this work, so it contains a number of dates, starting with 1554. Salviani's work is considered one of the best on its subject from the 16th century. Priced at $37,250.
Alphonse Pinart was a Frenchman who visited the American West in the 1870s. Mostly he concentrated on the far northern territory, though he undertook a trip to Arizona as well. Item 44 is one of his earliest works, Catalogue des collections rapportees de l'Amerique Russe. It is a study of various man-made or related objects, such as harpoons, masks, lamps, bags, and skulls, found in what was then Russian America. However, by the time the book was published in 1872, Alaska was no longer Russian territory, so the title notes that it is now the Territory of Alaska. Most of the Alaskan artifacts described in this book were collected on Kodiak Island. $3,550.
The Antiquariaat Forum may be found online at www.forumrarebooks.com, telephone +31 (0)30 6011955.
