Bonifacius VIII (Benedetto Gaetano, c. 1235-1303) - photo 1
Bonifacius VIII (Benedetto Gaetano, c. 1235-1303) - photo 2
Bonifacius VIII (Benedetto Gaetano, c. 1235-1303) - photo 3

Bonifacius VIII (Benedetto Gaetano, c. 1235-1303)

Lot 26
28.04.2021 11:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 6 250
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
Buyer Premiumsee on Website%
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 519315
Lot 26 | Bonifacius VIII (Benedetto Gaetano, c. 1235-1303)
Estimate value
£ 3 000 – 4 000
Bonifacius VIII (Benedetto Gaetano, c. 1235-1303)
Liber sextus Decretalium. Commentary and additions by Johannes Andreae (c. 1270-1348). Edited by Johannes Chappuis (fl. 1500). Paris: Ulrich Gering and Berthold Rembolt, 1500-1501 [Part I dated 15 October 1500].
Rare French incunable in a Hagué binding. The most renowned of binding forgers, Hagué learned his art restoring Renaissance and later fine bindings before going on to produce forgeries, typically bearing the arms or motto of a famous book collector such as Philip II, King of Spain (as here). One collector, a South American merchant John Blacker (d. 1896), acquired over 100 Hagué bindings, including the present one, believing them - at least until close to his death - to be genuine. The present example exemplifies the peculiar amalgam of styles used by Hagué to ‘improve’ Renaissance French entrelac designs. Blacker also owned a copy of Volume II of this edition, similarly bound, described as ‘a most remarkable specimen’ in Sotheby's 1897 sale of his collection (sold separately as lot 38). See H.M. Nixon in Transactions of the VIth International Congress of Bibliophiles 1969 (Vienna: 1971), pp. 69-81; and M.M. Foot, 'Double agent: M. Caulin and M. Hagué', The Book Collector, 1997, pp. 139-150.

This edition is rare. ISTC lists 12 copies, of which 7 with all 4 parts, and only one in America (Library of Congress, volume I imperfect). There are no copies in the British Library or the Bibliothèque nationale de France. HC 3627; GW 4904; Goff B-1014; ISTC ib01014000.

Part I only (of IV). Median folio (351 x 246mm). 223 leaves (of 224, without E6 blank). Printed in red and black, half-page woodcut presentation scene, two half-page tree/diagram of consanguinity, woodcut and metalcut initials from several sets, Rembolt's metalcut device (Renouard 957) on title (lightly washed and pressed, one or two short tears, a1.4 rehinged, a4 misbound before a2). 19th-century calf over wooden boards in imitation of a Renaissance binding by Louis Hagué-Coutin: entrelac design painted white, red, pink, blue, green, and gold, cartouche at centre lettered ‘Phil II Austr Rex Cathol’, border panels with entrelac compartments, four medallions with imperial double-headed eagles painted black, spine with gilt diaper and entrelac, chased metalwork at panel corners, a pair of matching fore-edge clasps and catches, edges gilt and gauffred with painted entrelac design, a few deckle edges preserved (joints and extremities rubbed).
Auction house category:Antiquarian books
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
14.04.2021 – 28.04.2021
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
Buyer Premium see on Website
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase

Related terms

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.
?>