Books and Manuscripts

The second half of the auction season at Il Ponte kicks off with the sale of Antique Books and Livres d’Artistes on September 24 and 25, 2024. A powerful catalogue rich in collectible rarities and with international appeal offers enthusiasts a broad selection of unique items. 

Of extraordinary beauty are the three volumes created by Sir William Hamilton in 1779, in collaboration with illustrator Pietro Fabris. This masterpiece of geophysical and volcanological research is enhanced by 59 plates, a monumental work of scientific and artistic precision. The illustrations, true photographic snapshots, capture with incredible detail the volcanic activity around Naples and Sicily. Through breathtaking landscapes and spectacular views—both day and night—the volumes document the eruptions and life around Vesuvius, the Phlegraean Fields, the Gulf of Naples, and Posillipo; furthermore, they showcase the wonders of Pozzuoli, the Solfatara, Porto Paone, Ischia, Ventotene, and Stromboli, up to the majestic images of Mount Etna seen from Catania and the excavations of the Temple of Isis in Pompeii (€ 50,000 - 80,000). 

A sublime integration of art and science, typical of the encyclopedic volumes created between the 17th and 18th centuries, features other works of exceptional rarity. In the field of astrology, a copy of Johannes Hevelius's renown work dedicated to comets stands out, printed on exceptionally high-quality paper and published in 1668 (€ 20,000 - 30,000). In the realm of botany, the two volumes curated by Pierre Joseph Buchoz are noteworthy, presenting a fundamental excursus on the most beautiful flowers of the Far East, paired with elegant birds, butterflies, and decorative elements of Chinese art, both dated 1776 and distinguished by a precious original binding (€ 18,000 - 25,000). Adding to this splendid showcase is a copy of Gleanings of Natural History, published in 1758-1764: a work of English natural history and ornithology by George Edwards (father of modern British ornithology), enriched by magnificent copperplate engravings hand-colored (€ 7,000 - 10,000). 

Even more captivating is the section dedicated to mountaineering volumes, featuring the first edition of Voyage pittoresque dans la Vallée de Chamonix et autour de Mont Blanc by Désiré-Raoul Rochette from 1826, one of the most sought-after in alpine literature, as well as the most comprehensive description of the classic tour around Mont Blanc with plates dedicated to the Italian side and Courmayeur (€ 12,000 - 18,000). Also highly sought after among enthusiasts of this subject is the first and only edition of Scenes from the Snow-Fields; being, Illustrations of the Upper Ice World of Mont Blanc from Sketches made on the Spot in the Years 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858 by Edmund Thomas Coleman, a passionate mountaineer and painter, published in London the following year (€ 6,000 - 9,000). 

Another highlight of the sale is the extraordinary collection of over 14,000 ex libris, originating from various eras, countries, artists, subjects, techniques, and formats, created between the 17th and 20th centuries. Originally used to mark books in personal libraries, ex libris have become art objects and collectibles over time, symbols of personalization and traceability. Among the most renowned artists featured in the collection are Michel Fingesten, Enrico Vannuccini, Alberto Helios Gagliardo, Walter Helfenbein, Franz von Bayros, Kornel Revesz, Franco Rognoni, Karl Ritter, Jaroslav Vodrazka, and Josef Menyhart (€ 18,000 - 25,000). 

The journey then reaches the dawn of the 20th century with the section dedicated to Livres d’Artistes, highlighting the presence of a copy in perfect condition, numbered 190/200, of Marc Chagall's Poèmes from 1968, accompanied by 24 magnificent plates, 6 of which include fascinating collages by the artist (€ 15,000 - 25,000).