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Conseils Pour Former une Bibliothèque Peu Nombreuse, Mais Choisie. Nouvelle édition, corrigée et augmentée. Suivie de l'Introduction Générale à l'Étude des Sciences & Belles-Lettres par M. de la Martinière.
by FORMEY, JEAN HENRI SAMUEL
- Used
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Lavardin, France
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Berlin, Haude et Spener 1756. (xxiv),380,(iv)pp. Sm. 8vo. Contemporary mottled calf, edges red. (binding a bit worn: hinges a bit weak, corners and edges rubbed). Numerous annotations in ink (and a few in pencil) in a contemprary hand and with many underlined passages.
One of the earliest and most successful catalogues of best books, giving the criteria for the design of an Enlightenment library, a subject that was popular in the eighteenth century. Formey writes about the assembling of a library of 100 works and discusses the arrangement and choice of books. The sort of books to collect are divided into twelve sections: theology, philosophy, literature, periodicals, history, novels, poetry, eloquence, morals and taste, military science and mathematics, geography and voyages, and law and medicine and all books admitted to the library are fully discussed. First published in 1746, it was reprinted about five times in the next 18 years. Included in the prefatory material is a letter by La Mothe Le Vayer on 'du moyen de dresser une bibliothèque...' extracted from his own Oeuvres (Paris 1754). It was through this letter that some of the rarest and most valuable works of his time became known. Pages xvi-xxiv of the introduction contain a list of books published by Formey up until 1755 (58 titles). Jean Henri Samuel Formey (1711-1795) was the son of a French Huguenot who had fled France. Formey himself was secretary to the Royal Academy of Berlin and the main upholder of the French language and culture in Berlin. He is probably best known for the vociferous literary polemics in which he engaged with Diderot and Voltaire - the latter he accused of plagiarism. The present copy has numerous annotations in ink in which a contemporary reader gives his observations.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Knuf Rare Books
(FR)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 102508
- Title
- Conseils Pour Former une Bibliothèque Peu Nombreuse, Mais Choisie. Nouvelle édition, corrigée et augmentée. Suivie de l'Introduction Générale à l'Étude des Sciences & Belles-Lettres par M. de la Martinière.
- Author
- FORMEY, JEAN HENRI SAMUEL
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Place of Publication
- Berlin
- Date Published
- 1756
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
Terms of Sale
Knuf Rare Books
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Knuf Rare Books
Biblio member since 2014
Lavardin
About Knuf Rare Books
Knuf Rare books was founded in the 1950s by Frits Knuf in the Netherlands. After an apprenticeship with Frits I took over the firm in 1996 which we then moved to France in 2001 where we are still based. The business is run from our home in Lavardin, one of the most beautiful villages of France located in the Loire Valley, that can easily be reached from Paris. Visitors are most welcome, but by appointment please. I am interested in the History of the Book and have a good inventory of rare and uncommon printed books, ephemeral items, prints and manuscripts from the incunable period to the twentieth century. My stock is especially strong in early auction- and library catalogues, type specimens, continental printer’s and engravers manuals, calligraphy manuals. Another interest is early continental architecture books and early art auction catalogues. Every year I issue two fully illustrated and annotated printed catalogues that are sent out upon request. In addition to that I also send out short email lists every week with a selection of books about books from our stock. And of course, I exhibit at several major international book fairs, such as New York, Boston and Paris. We work mainly with institutional customers, and are happy to discuss special institutional requirements. I adhere strictly to the professional standards and code of conduct of the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers and the Syndicat national de la Librairie Ancienne et Moderne (SLAM), and the Compagnie Nationale des Experts (CNE) to which I belong. I have been an international rare book dealer for over 25 years and am a member of the Nederlands Genootschap van Bibliofielen. If you want to buy or sell single books or whole collections, have an expert valuation or if would just like some advice, please do not hesitate to contact me.
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