| On the previous page we discovered these quite identical bindings, I wanted to see just how identical they are. The question I asked was whether or not these two bindings were made at the same time, if they were then the endpapers might be the same. In Comparative Diagram 2, I show an enlargement of part of the marbled endpapers and inner dentelle for each binding. We can see that these papers share an amazing similarity even in the extent of their defects, if the small white spots can be considered defects. In Comparative Diagram 3, I show that both examples share the same production technique, that of running some object through the paint to cause it to deform in the direction of the objects path. At a guess, I would say that these papers were made by the same manufacturer, possibly in the same run. it would not be surprising to find out that Derome cut these endpapers from the same sheet. To me this suggests that these bindings were made around the same time. This would be, of course a logical conclusion from the start. However as we know that the British Library example comes from the collection of King George III, and is thought to be from the library of Louis Jean Gaignat and most likely from the sale of his books in 1769, and that the Speculum was purchased by Prefond in the same sale and was thought to have it bound afterwards. This now seems unlikely. It would seem more likely that Gaignat had both of the volumes bound at the same time, in which case they must be from 1768 or earlier. The other possibility that seems to me less likely is that both bindings were bound by Derome after the sale for two different clients. Even stranger is the fact that these two books are not the same, how is it that they could both be exactly the same size? Unfortunately we do not have an image of the decoration of the spine of the Speculum however the drawer handle roulette is visible from the side of the Speculum suggesting that it is also identical to that of C9c1. (note: the Bodleian information for the Speculum states "Flat back lettered down the spine SPECULUM HUMANAE SALVATIONIS EDITIO PRINCEPS CIRCA ANNO 1440.") See below the C9c1 spine. |
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Reasearching this further we learn that C9c1 is a German "block book" from around 1470. On the spine we see printed 'FIGURES DE LA BIBLE ET APOCALYPSE EN TABLES DE BOIS SCULTEES' which is more or less ILLUSTRATIONS FROM THE BIBLE AND APOCALYPSE FROM CARVED WOODEN BOARDS... from the title given by the British Library you would never guess this[New Testament. Revalation. Appendix] Begin. [fol. 1 verso:] Conusi ab ydolis: predicacio:e bti io:anis drusiana et ceteri. End. [fol. 48 recto:] scaturire ternitur [sic]. G.L. . the British Library states that this book is from Gaignat's Library, I cannot find it in the 1769 auction catalogue of Gaignat's books however, getting the title right may help. I have tried searching within the catalogue each of words in the title as shown by the British Library, but did not find it. It should be in de Bure's catalogue. After hours of trying to find things in these catalogues, I have come to realize that the main catalogue of the antiquarian bookseller and bibliographer Guillaume Francois de Bure (Debure) Bibliographie instructive; ou traite de la connoissance des livres rares et singuliers, was like a bible for rare book collectors in mid 18th century France. This work appeared in 7 volumes (1763 to 1768). Volumes 8 and 9, published in 1769, consisted of Supplement a la Bibliographie instructive, Catalogue des Livres du Cabinet de feu M. Louis Jean Gaignat. This was the auction catalogue of Gaignat's collection written and published by de Bure. (click here to see more about this from Jerimy Norman's historyofinformation.com) |
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To give you an example I show (above) the second page of text by Seymour De Ricci relating the history of a Bandalis incunabulum which is covered with a Derome le jeune binding (number 38) we find the same kind of reference in the Bodleian information for the Speculum, (click here to see it)... I show part of this information below |
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Several notes in Douce's hand on pieces of paper pasted onto the front endleaves. In pencil in the upper margin of the verso of the front endleaf: 'N. 117 B. I. D. B,' On [a2r] a five-line initial 'P' is supplied in red. Provenance: de Wandermark (early eighteenth century); see Jean-Baptiste Michel Papillon, Traite historique et pratique de la gravure en bois, 2 vols (Paris, 1766), I 104. Claude Gros de Boze (1680-1753); given to de Boze by de Wandermark, for which see Papillon I 104; see also Catalogue des livres du cabinet de M. de Boze (Paris, 1753), I no. 57; Guillaume de Bure, Bibliographie instructive ou traite de la connaissance des livres rares et singuliers, 8 vols (Paris, 1763-8), vol. de theologie (1763), p. 128. President de Cotte (eighteenth century); see Papillon I 104. Louis Jean de Gaignat (1697-1768); see Guillaume de Bure, Bibliographie instructive: Supplement, 2 vols (Paris, 1769), lot 116; sold for 1600 francs to Girardot de Prefond. Paul Girardot de Prefond ( after c.1800); item rebound for him; on the front pastedown a small label of red leather inscribed in gold: 'Ex musaeo Pauli Girardot de Prefond'. Justin, comte MacCarthy Reagh (1744-1811); |
| When I first tried to track down Prefonds purchase of the Speculum for 1600 livres, I found it in the BnF Gallica online copy of the de Bure catalogue for the 1769 Gaignat auction, and fortunately someone at the auction marked in this copy the results of the auction as it was happening so we see the 1600 has been penciled in and we are sure we have found the right item. However once I found it I wondered what the reference (article 117) shown with this item was, eventually I found it in de Bure's main catalogue Bibliographie instructive I show it below. This is the first page of a three page description of this very rare publication. |
| Francis Douce (1757-1834) who purchased the Speculum in 1829 penciled in the de Bure reference on the corner of an endleaf 'N. 117 B. I. D. B.' We are beginning to see in these details that de Bure was a kind of ringleader and wheeler dealer, an authority and bookseller on whom Gaignat, Prefond and probably many others counted on for advice and purchases. Perhaps even George III bought books from him through an agent like, Jean-Baptiste Dessain. We can see by the annotations in these catalogues that de Bure was a major buyer in these auctions, buyer and reseller, perhaps he bought the C9c1 Bible at the Gaignat auction and resold it to an agent of George III, saying that it came from 'Gaignat's Library'. Still we have not found out who paid Derome to decorate these bindings, however now considering how they have been made in such an identical fashion and that even the spines are the same, I think it is more likely that Gaignat had these books bound by Derome at the same time to grace the shelves of his amazing Library. |
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| Even experts are sometimes wrong, before you spend thousands on a book, please do your own research! Just because I say a certain binding can be attributed to le Maitre isn't any kind of guarantee, don't take my word for it, go a step further and get your own proof. In these pages I have provided you with a way of doing just that. |
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