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2V LETTRES AUTOGRAPHES ALFRED BOVET 1887 Charavay

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Notes: Bound in three quarter leather and marbled boards with bright gilt embossing to spine, this antique set is a scarce documentation of the content and greater purpose of the vast collection of autographs assembled by Alfred Bovet (1841-1900), a Swiss industrialist who dedicated himself to collecting autographs over a period of fifteen years. This is the luxury edtion of the auction catalogue splendidly put together by E. Charavay, who, in his preface, gives testimony to the extensiveness of the collector's activity: "C'est en 1869 que M. Alfred Bovet commenca sa collection d'autographes. Ses etudes, sa connaissance parfaite des litteratures de tous les pays, ses voyages. lui avaient inspire des sa jeunesse l'amour des collections. Il avait d'abord exerce son gout sur le choix des livres, des portraits et des dessins. La bibliophilie le conduisit, comme tant d'autres, a la recherche des autographes. M. Alred Bovet entreprit une collection generale, tell que l'avaient concue les grands curieux ses predecesseurs, mais, obeissant a sa nature de lettre et d'artiste, il recueillit avec une sorte de tendresse les lettres des ecrivains, des artistes et des compositeurs de musique. Ce n'est pas tout que de faire une collection, il faut la classer. Apres de mures reflexions, M. Alfred Bovet adopta les series suivantes: I. Chefs de Gouvernement. - II. Hommes d'Etat et personnages politques. - III. Revolution francaise. - IV Hommes de guerre. - V. Savants et explorateurs. - VI. Ecrivains. - VII. Artistes dramatiques. - VIII. Peintres, sculpteurs, architectes et graveurs. - IX. Compositeurs de musique. - X. Chanteurs et cantatrices. - XI. Huguenots. - XII. Femmes." This is an indispensable reference work for autograph collectors. These volumes are illustrated with 48 tissue-guarded plates presenting reproductions of autographed documents, which are often of great historical value. All the hundreds of samples of autographs contained within the collection are pictorially represented and accompanied by detailed commentary. There are several fold-out and double-page reproductions of these autographed texts. The volumes show external age/wear, with detached front hinge to first volume, and nearly detached front hinge to the second. Pages are lightly age toned, and tissues show some foxing. The books measure approximately 9.5" x 11.5" and contain LVI/880 pages (with the numeration of the first volume going to page 488). Shipping cost (within the U.S.) for this lot will be: $16.50

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