Catalogue des Livres Imprimés sur Vélin de la Bibliothèque du Roi. [ Complete set, 6 volumes in 5 ]

De Bure Freres, Paris, first edition, 1822-1828. Edition of 200 or 300 copies. 5 vols, brown half-morocco and cloth, top edge gilt, marbled endpapers, 8vo, 23 cm,. [v]-xi, iv, 348 + ii, 120, vi, 84 + viii, 332 + iii, 380 + 223 pp. 1750 entries. Brunet says 200 copies were printed; Sabin says 300. Vols I Théologie; II Jurisprudence; III Sciences et arts; IV Belles-lettres; V, Histoire [et tables]; VI,. Supplément. Brunet: "L'importance et la grande valeur des livres décrits, l'exactitude rigoureuse des descriptions, et les anecdotes curieuses qui les accompagnent, donnent de l'intérêt à cet excellent catalogue. Au moment où il parut la Bibliothèque Impériale possédait déjà 1467 articles imprimés sur vélin, et ce nombre s'est encore accru depuis, ainsi qu'on peut le voir dans le supplément...". "The first bibliography of books printed on vellum; it describes 1,750 books owned by what is now the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris...But it is much more than a mere bibliography of books printed on that precious material; the copious notes make it a valuable bibliography of rare books in many fields." - Breslauer & Folter, Grolier Club, Bibliography. Van Praet endeavoured to give lists of all known copies of the books he described - perhaps the earliest instance of a bibliographer doing this. The set comprises: Tome I. Théologie. Tome II. Jurisprudence. Tome III. Sciences et Arts. Tome IV. Belles-Lettres. Tome V. Histoire. Tome VI. Supplément. A set formerly in the Library of the Athenaeum, London, with its gilt device on the spines and front boards. Bookplate of the Athenaeum on front pastedown endpapers, overstamped "Sold by Order of the Committee". Volumes 2 and 3 are bound together, as issued. Covers rubbed, and on Volume 1 the top 2 inches of the spine are missing. Volumes 1 and 6 have a white ink shelfmark along the lower part of the front joint. Contents with some light foxing, but a Good set.