Rare books from LIBRAIRIE CAMILLE SOURGET

Paris, chez Aubert, au grand magasin de caricatures et nouveautés lithographiques, 1830-1835.
10 volumes 4to with titles, tables and 530 plates. Rahir indicates that there are titles and tables only for vol. 1 to 9. Some foxing and few browned ll. Red quarter-roan, spines ribbed and decorated with gilt and blindstamped patterns, lettering pieces in black calf. Label of the bookbinder Rue St-Honoré, n. 99, dans la cour, papetier-relieur. Contemporary binding signed Grenet.
333 x 253 mm.
Complete first edition of the most important Journal of the Romantic period.
Morgand et Fatout 10885 ; Vicaire, Manuel de l'amateur, II, 46.
" La Caricature as a whole is one of the most interesting works of the 1830's; it is a precious collection of caricatures about Louis-Philippe's reign. V. Hugo, Balzac, Louis Desnoyers and especially Ch. Philipon were the main associates.As for the artistic side, Daumier provided more than 100 plates ; Grandville 109, Henri Monnier 6, Raffet 14, Traviès 55, Philipon 10, etc. "… Read More

[At the end :] Cy finist ce present Livre, avec Laddition de Treze diverses facos de Lettres, Et la manière de faire Chiffres pour Bagues dor, ou autrement. Qui fut acheve dimprimer Le mercredy. xxviij. Iour du Mois Dapuril. Lan Mil Cincq cens. XXIX. Pour Maistre Geofroy Tory de Bourges… Et pour Giles Gourmont aussi Libraire demorant au dict Paris… [28 avril 1529].
Small folio [245 x 169 mm] of (8) and (80) leaves, slight restoration in the margin of the title-page, red morocco, decoration with small tools inside gilt fillets, spine ribbed and decorated, gilt inner border, gilt edges. Binding signed by Chambolle-Duru around 1865.
" Rare and much sought-after first edition of this brilliant work, the masterpiece of G. Tory and one of the most beautiful books of all times. It is illustrated with xylographic reproductions of the various alphabets, writing models, flowered letters, interlaced figures and numerous woodcut figures. " (Jacques Guérin).
By the extent of his curiosities, by the variety… Read More

N.p.n.d. [London, 1804-06].2 parts bound in 1 folio volume [575 x 468 mm] of: I/ 1 frontispiece, (5) ll. of text and 15 full-page plates in color; II/ 1 frontispiece, (5) ll. of text and 15 full-page plates in color. A total of 2 full-page titles in aquatint and 30 full-page plates in color. Plates 1 and 29 slightly spotted. Green quarter-morocco, spine ribbed decorated with fillets and gilt fleurons, gilt edges. Some rubbing, rebacked in the 19th century. Contemporary binding.First edition of this sumptuous illustrated work about South Africa.Brunet, II, 489; Graesse, II, p. 325; Gay 3136; Hardie 133; Mendelssohn, I, 411-12; Prideaux 245; Tooley 168; Abbey Travel 321."The scarcest and most valuable of the large atlas folios of South African illustration... a most magnificent work." (Mendelssohn).Samuel Daniell (1775-1811) is an English painter and a drawer who arrived in South Africa on December 9th 1799. He was appointed secretary and artist of the 1801-1802 expedition from the Cape of Good Hope to… Read More

Leyden, Ian Maire, 1637.
4to [207 x 155 mm] of 78 pages, (1) l., 413 pp., (1) p. of notice and (18) ll., the last one blank. Full fawn calf, gilt fillet on the covers, spine ribbed, mottled edges, minor restorations. Elegant contemporary Parisian binding.
"Precious first edition of Descartes' masterpiece."
Tchemerzine, II, 776; PMM, 129; Horblit, One hundred book famous in science, 24; En Français dans le texte n°90; Dibner, Heralds, 81 ("The Dioptrique contains the earliest statement of Willebrord Snell's law of refraction"); Norman Library, 621.
After Galileo's sentence in 1633, Descartes had made a resolution not to print any book during his lifetime. From Holland where his aspiration for loneliness and isolation had driven him, the philosopher still corresponds with his nearest and dearest. It is in the face of their entreaties that he gave in and published in 1637 an anthology of his researches to which he gave the meaning of a peculiar and personal process.
After having thought of… Read More

Bologna, 1599-1667.
11 works in 13 folio volumes [338 x 228 mm]. Red morocco, spine ribbed and decorated, border on the covers in the style of Du Seuil, arms on the center of the covers, gilt edges. 17th century binding.
Nissen ZBI, p. 17-18, n° 66, 68, 70-72 & 74-78; Nissen, IVB, 18; Nissen, BBI, 14; Paul Delaunay, La zoologie au seizième siècle, 1962, p. 4 passim; DSB, I, 108-110.
Exceptional reunion of works by the naturalist Ulisse Aldrovandi.
These wonderful volumes, printed in Bologna, are illustrated with copper-engraved titles and portraits. The text is illustrated with over 4 500 woodcuts showing birds, fish, reptiles, mammals, insects, crustaceans, human monsters, minerals, trees …
The eleven titles in thirteen volumes constitute Aldrovandi's complete works: each are in first edition except the De quadrupedis solidi pedibus.
Composition of the series:
1 – Ornithologiae, hoc est de avibus historiae. 1599-1603. 3 volumes.
2 – De reliquis animalibus exanguibus libri quatuor.… Read More

Paris, Bertrand, 1826-1827.
The copy comprises all the set of Atlases (only) of this Voyage, which form four elephant folios :
-Historique : folio atlas containing 60 coloured plates in their 15 original issues.
-Zoologie : folio atlas containing 157 coloured plates in their 27 original issues.
-Botanique : folio atlas containing 106 plates (25 in colour) in their 15 original issues.
-Hydrographie : folio atlas containing 55 maps and charts in original pastepaper boards.
In total, 57 parts preserved as issued in wrappers, and 1 volume preserved in its original pastepaper boards.
Histoire du Voyage, Zoologie, Botanique, and Hydrographie in original pastepaper boards as issued, the other three atlases in the original wrappers, all-in fine condition, the complete set of atlases preserved in four uniform quarter morocco bookform folding cases.
565 x 375 mm.
One of the greatest and rarest of the " Grands Voyages " to the Pacific.
This is a precious and very rare complete set of the atlases to this… Read More

Imprimez à Paris pour Anthoine Verard, libraire demourant à Paris devant la rue Neuve Nostredame à lymaige Sainct Jehan l'évagelliste ou au palais devant la chapelle ou l'onchante la messe de messeigneurs des présidens. S.d. (1503).
3 parts in 2 volumes Folio [340 x 227 mm], full red morocco, covers framed with gold fillets, spine ribbed finely decorated, gold fillets on the edges, interior roulette, gilt edges. Bound in morocco by Trautz-Bauzonnet.
Second original edition, very close to the first one published in the same year 1503.
Exceptional copy by its large margins: Height 334 mm against 295 mm for the incomplete illuminated copy on vellum sold for 850 000 € in June 2010.
Precious gothic copy of great rare of the chronicles of France and England considered as "one of the masterpieces of French Gothic printing."
It is the second after the princeps, also printed for Verard at the beginning of 1503: 45 lines per column, at the address: "devant la Rue Neuve Notre-Dame" which allows to date it… Read More

Leiden, Ian Maire, 1637.
4to [198 x 150 mm] of 78 pp., (1) l., 413 pp., (1) p. of advertissement and (18) ll. the last one blank. Jansenist brown morocco, spine ribbed and decorated, inner gilt border, gilt over marbled edges. Binding of the 19th century
signed Thibaron.
Precious first edition of Descartes' masterpiece.
Tchemerzine, II, 776; PMM, 129; Horblit, One hundred book famous in science, 24; En Français dans le texte n°90; Dibner, Heralds, 81 ("The Dioptrique contains the earliest statement of Willebrord Snell's law of refraction"); Norman Library, 621.
After Galileo's sentence in 1633, Descartes had made a resolution not to print any book during his lifetime. From Holland where his aspiration for loneliness and isolation had driven him, the philosopher still corresponds with his nearest and dearest. It is in the face of their entreaties that he gave in and published in 1637 an anthology of his researches to which he gave the meaning of a peculiar and personal process.
After having thought… Read More

Cologne, 1587.
Folio [277 x 185 mm] of (142) ll. A few tears formerly restored. Full light-brown roan, blind-stamped border around the covers, spine decorated with a gilt Greek pattern, restorations on the spine and on the back cover, mottled edges. Binding from the end of the 18th century.

First edition of this celebration book "of the utmost rarity".
(Vinet, Bibliographie Méthodique et raisonnée des Beaux-arts, n° 722).
"There were several editions of this volume of the utmost rarity, omitted by Brunet. The first issue, published without date in 1585, is composed of 10 etchings by Hogenberg, with engraved text, in German verses, by Th. Gramjn. The second issue is composed of 36 engraved leaves. The third is the present one, published as a volume, with a German text, printed in mobile characters, and double plates printed inside the text." Vinet.
Actually, both first issues are only booklets (10 plates for the first one, 36 leaves for the second one), only the third state offers a complete… Read More

[Strasbourg, Johann Prüss, around 1488].
Folio [276 x 197 mm] (82) ll. [sif. ()1 a5 b-m6 n10] ; goth. car. 50 lignes. Blind-stamped fawn calf over wooden boards, covers decorated with a frame made of fillets and fleur-de-lys pattern, surrounding a decoration of oval compartments containing in their center a thistle motif, spine ribbed. Contemporary binding.
Rare first Latin edition and first of four issues described by Goff of one of the most coveted illustrated incunabula.
Hain, 4411 ; Proctor, 558 ; Fairfax Murray, 70 ; Stillwell, J, 236 ; Copinger, I, 137 ; Dibdin, VI, 122 ; Schreiber, 3489 ; Goff, J-268.
This copy belongs to the first issue cited by Goff, which he calls "a", meaning that the running titles have the chapter numbers printed in Roman numerals. In the second issue he describes, these same numbers are printed in full letters. Other copies are composite and offer quires from both editions.
(Geissler, F : Handschriften und Drücke des " Directorium vitae Humanae " dans Mitterlungen des… Read More

One of the most precious books in the West. The Brunet copy was sold for 6 600 F Or,a book of bibliophily being negotiated then from 6 F Or.
" The tallest copy to be offered in over 50 years. "
" First edition of one of the finest illustrated books of the German Renaissance.This allegorical poem celebrates the exploits and heroic deeds of Emperor Maximilian represented as Theuerdank, as he overcomes the difficulties on his journey to win his bride, Mary of Burgundy, Konigin Ernreich in the poem. It forms part of a trilogy, along with Weisskunig and Fredsal, elaborating Maximilian's life, but Theuerdank was the only one to be published during the emperor's lifetime. "
The largest complete copy recorded (height 375 mm).
Nürnberg, 1st March 1517.
Pfintzing, Melchior / Maximilien Ier. Theuerdank.Die geuerlicheiten und einsteils der Geschichten des loblichen streytparen und hochberümbten helds und Ritters Herr Tewrdannckhs. At end (A8vo) : Gedruckt in der Kayserlichen Stat Nürnberg durch den Eltern… Read More

Basel, Henricus Petrus, 1533.
Blind-stamped pigskin, spine ribbed, ties and clasps. Contemporary blind-stamped binding.
302 x 203 mm.
An exceptional complete copy of the famous letter of Christopher Colombus addressed to Gabriel Sanchez under the reign of Ferdinand, king of Spain, relating the discovery of America preserved, together with other very rare texts, in its superb contemporary German blind-stamped pigskin binding with its preserved original ties and clasps.
I : Adams W-215 ; VD-16 ZV 7827. II : Adams R-612 ; Church 66 ; Sabin 72023 ; VD-16R2681 ; not in Göllner, Turcica.
The volume contains :
Robertus Monachus. Bellum Christianorum Principum praecipue Gallorum, contra Saracenos, Anno Salvtis M.LXXXVIII pro terra sancta gestum : autore Roberto Momacho [sic]. Carolus Verardus de expugnatione regni Granatae : quae con tigit ab hinc quadragesimo secundo anno, per Cathlicu regem Ferdinandum Hispaniarum. Cristophorus Colom de prima insularum, in mari Indico sitarum, Iustratione, quae sub rege… Read More

Paris, Richard Breton, 1565.
8vo [160 x 98 mm] of (63) ll., 18th century French polished calf, red edges, arms Sir Charles Bagot on covers, morocco slipcase.
The first edition of this mysterious series of grotesque illustrations "for the recreation of witty spirits."
The woodcuts are now generally attributed to François Desprez who three years prior provided similar illustrations for different work printed by Breton. While Rabelais is invoked in the title, his name seems to have simply served to advertise the nature of the work - providing a shorthand for a playful, Pantagruelist posture. Some of the iconography can clearly be related to images by Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Breughel, coming from a longer tradition of absurd and entertaining images which had only somewhat recently been made literary by the work of Rabelais. Much ink has flowed on the potential hidden meanings in these cuts, published in an age when esoteric symbolism was very much in vogue (cf. Cesare Ripas Iconologia and… Read More

N.p., 1570.
Engraved copper plates by Pierre Van der Heyden.
Latin captions. Fine margins.
Spring : 22,8 x 28,7 cm (trimmed to the borderline).
Summer : 22,5 x 28,5 cm (trimmed to the platemark).
Autumn : 22,5 x 28,6 cm (trimmed to the platemark).
Winter : 22,6 x 28,7 cm (trimmed to the platemark, somewhat more in lower part).
First issue of this superb and complete suite of the four seasons, published in 1570.
Hollstein III, p. 297, 200, 202 ; Lebeer 77 et 78.
This suite is composed of 4 engravings:
- "Ver" (Spring) and "Aestas" (Summer) after Bruegel: the land is fervently cultivated by men and women in the countryside until the harvest;
- "Autumnus" (Autumn) and "Hyems" (Winter) after Hans Bol, since the suite has not been completed before Bruegel's death: men and women are busy slaughtering animals and grape-picking to finally go in for wintery leisure.
The Four Seasons are the result of a close co-operation between Pieter Bruegel and Jerome Cock,an engraving publisher in Antwerp.
However the four… Read More

London, [Paris], 1757.
5 volumes 8vo [203 x 1273 mm]. I/ 1 general frontispiece, 1 frontispiece, 1 portrait, viii pp., 320 pp., 24 figures out of the text including 2 in colors; II/ 1 frontispiece, 292 pp., 28 figures including 6 in colors ; III/ 1 frontispiece, 203 pp., 25 figures including 3 in colors; IV/ 1 frontispiece, 280 pp., 28 figures including 6 in colors; V/ 1 frontispiece, 269 pp., 22 engravings. Red morocco, triple gilt fillet with rosettes around the covers, arms in the center, spines decorated with fillets and irons with pomegranate and grapes, inner gilt border, gilt edges. Contemporary binding.
Copy in unique condition sold 350 000 FF (53 300 €) on May 7, 1989, 33 years ago.
First issue of the French edition with wide margins on Holland paper illustrated with 5 frontispieces, 1 portrait, 110 figures marked by the initials and 97 tail-pieces by Gravelot, Boucher, Cochin and Eisen, enriched with a frontispiece "Estampes galantes des Contes de Boccace. À Londres" and 18 erotic… Read More