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Honoré Daumier, (1808-1879). Le gens de justice. (Paris), Aubert, (1845-48). Folio (ca. 34.6 x 26 cm). Contemporary half calf with gilt-stamped title 'Les Gens de Justice et Tout ce qu'on voudra' on front cover. Estimate: 2,000 euros - 3,000 euros. Image courtesy of Adams Amsterdam Auctions.

Rare books, prints, at Adams Amsterdam auction May 28

Tom Hoepf
Tom Hoepf

Honoré Daumier, (1808-1879). Le gens de justice. (Paris), Aubert, (1845-48). Folio (ca. 34.6 x 26 cm). Contemporary half calf with gilt-stamped title 'Les Gens de Justice et Tout ce qu'on voudra' on front cover. Estimate: 2,000 euros - 3,000 euros. Image courtesy of Adams Amsterdam Auctions.
Honoré Daumier, (1808-1879). Le gens de justice. (Paris), Aubert, (1845-48). Folio (ca. 34.6 x 26 cm). Contemporary half calf with gilt-stamped title ‘Les Gens de Justice et Tout ce qu’on voudra’ on front cover. Estimate: 2,000 euros – 3,000 euros. Image courtesy of Adams Amsterdam Auctions.
AMSTERDAM – Museums buy at auctions, but how about a museum that actually bought at an auction? This was the case with the star lot of Adams’ second sale in 2009, when a 17th-century canal mansion was sold as a work of art to be turned into a museum.

In 2010 the Amsterdam canals became UNESCO World Heritage, and since April 2011, Het Grachtenhuis (The Canal House), as the museum is called, tells the story of the origins and the power of this unique urban concept (www.hetgrachtenhuis.nl). Adams Amsterdam Auctions continues to sell from this masterpiece of Renaissance architecture and offers an important collection on the same subject: Amsterdam.

Adams Amsterdam Auctions’ next public sale of rare books, manuscripts, maps, prints, photographs and other artefacts will be held Saturday, May 28, at the company’s premises at Herengracht 386, with Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers.com.

Adams presents two catalogs, the fine and rare books and prints catalog contains subjects such as History and Travel, Atlases, Globes, Maps and Views, Art and Architecture, Science including Medicine and Natural History, Children’s Books and Games, Literature, Religion, Drawings, Watercolors and Paintings, Miscellanea and Photography. The other catalog contains the first part of the legendary Gert Jan Hemmink collection of works by Hugo Claus (1929-2008) himself and by Hugo Claus and others, such as Karel Appel, Alechinsky, Corneille, Dotremont and many more.

As mentioned above, Amsterdam plays a large role as well because more than 40 interesting items on the Dutch capital, of which a large part comes from the famous Lodewijk Houthakker collection, will come under the hammer. Wagenaar’s Amsterdam (1760-1788) is the most exciting work in this special chapter. The extra illustrated edition consists of 87 plates with portraits, including one finely colored by hand, and 258 with views, including a set by Fouquet that were originally published in his famous Atlas of 1775. This spectacular work gives a more than complete picture of Amsterdam in the second half of the 18th century (est. 50,000 euros – 75,000 euros).

Another highlight of the upcoming auction is Het groote tafereel der dwaasheid-, vertoonende de opkomst, voortgang en ondergang der actie, bubble en windnegotie, in Vrankrijk, Engeland, en de Nederlanden, gepleegt in den jaare MDCCXX. This work contains 76 engraved and etched plates with caricatures on the 1720 Bubble, including a map of the Mississippi (est. 2,000 euros – 3,000 euros).

More beautiful views are collected in Suite de quatre-vingt paysages, de différentes grandeurs, composés et gravés a l’eau forte par Ant. Waterloo, peintre hollandaise by Anthonie Waterloo (1618-1662). This fine suite contains 76 etchings with pastoral, Dutch and mountainous landscapes by the famous Dutch landscape painter. This album is in the rare Pierre-François Basan & Etienne Léon Poignant edition (circa 1784-6), only two copies found recorded (est. 6,000 euros – 8,000 euros).

One of the bestsellers of illustrated 17th-century travel literature is Joris van Spilbergens’ miroir Oost & West-Indical, auguel sont descriptes les deux dernieres navigations, faictes es années 1614, 1615, 1616, 1617 & 1618. This first and only edition of the French translation consists of 24 (out of 25) maps, plans, views and battle scenes, of which five are double page and one folding (est. 10,000 euros – 15,000 euros).

The complete Men of Law by Daumier is also one of the top items of Adams’ next sale. Daumier designed 39 plates for Le gens de justice. The plates depict all the worst aspects of French 19th-century legal affairs (est. 2,000 – 3,000 euros).

Within the subject of natural history one of the highlights is the first and only edition of a splendid series of hand-colored engravings of wood samples from trees and scrubs from all over the world. This work by Sepp & Houttuyn – Houtkunde, behelzende afbeeldingen van meest alle bekende, in- en uitlandsche houten die tot den huis- en scheepsbouw, tot schrynwerk, werktuigen en gereedschappen, tot verwstoffen en in de geneeskunde, worden gebruikt – was by far the most extensive display of wood samples published to that date, and can hardly be equaled by modern publications. Another highlight within the botanical literature is Carolus Linnaeus’ Hortus Cliffortianus, a catalog first published 1737. (est. 2,500 – 3,500).

Highlights of the Hugo Claus collection include the manuscript of Paal en Perk, containing 14 original drawings by Corneille; a copy of the rarissime Cinq lithographies en couleur by Karel Appel (est. 20,000 euros – 25,000 euros), the manuscript of Genesis, and De expert, maybe the only remaining COBRA painting by Hugo Claus.

 

For details go to www.adamsamsterdam.com or phone +31203201131.

 

(Euro 1 = $1.40)

 

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

Jan Wagenaar, Amsterdam, 1760-1788, four volumes, beautifully illustrated first edition. Estimate: 50,000 euros - 75,000 euros. Image courtesy of Adams Amsterdam Auctions.
Jan Wagenaar, Amsterdam, 1760-1788, four volumes, beautifully illustrated first edition. Estimate: 50,000 euros – 75,000 euros. Image courtesy of Adams Amsterdam Auctions.
Hugo Claus (1929-2008) - Karel APPEL, (1921-2006). [Parijs, 1954]. Vouwblad met vijf losse bladen met litho's in luxe overslagdoos (Phoenix). Estimate: 20,000 euros - 25,000 euros. Image courtesy of Adams Amsterdam Auctions.
Hugo Claus (1929-2008) – Karel APPEL, (1921-2006). [Parijs, 1954]. Vouwblad met vijf losse bladen met litho’s in luxe overslagdoos (Phoenix). Estimate: 20,000 euros – 25,000 euros. Image courtesy of Adams Amsterdam Auctions.
Joris van Spilbergen. Miroir Oost & West-Indical, Amsterdam, Johannes Janssonius, 1621. 4to oblong. Later vellum with gilt double line along the edges. With 24 (out of 25) maps, plans, views and battle-scenes. Estimate: 10,000 euros - 15,000 euros. Image courtesy of Adams Amsterdam Auctions.
Joris van Spilbergen. Miroir Oost & West-Indical, Amsterdam, Johannes Janssonius, 1621. 4to oblong. Later vellum with gilt double line along the edges. With 24 (out of 25) maps, plans, views and battle-scenes. Estimate: 10,000 euros – 15,000 euros. Image courtesy of Adams Amsterdam Auctions.
Anthonie Waterloo (1618-1662). Suite de quatre-vin. Paris, Basan Freres, (ca. 1784-1786). Sm. folio Letterpress title followed by 76 etchings signed by Waterloo on 45 (of 47 or 49) leaves, of which 24 large full-page etchings. Estimate:6,000 euros - 8,000 euros. Image courtesy of Adams Amsterdam Auctions.
Anthonie Waterloo (1618-1662). Suite de quatre-vin. Paris, Basan Freres, (ca. 1784-1786). Sm. folio Letterpress title followed by 76 etchings signed by Waterloo on 45 (of 47 or 49) leaves, of which 24 large full-page etchings. Estimate:6,000 euros – 8,000 euros. Image courtesy of Adams Amsterdam Auctions.
Groote Tafereel der Dwaasheid, Het-, Gedrukt tot waarschouwinge voor de nakomelingen, 1720 [ca. 1740]. Folio. Contemp. marbled, richly gold-tooled calf, spine ribbed and gilt. Title in red & black, with 76 engraved and etched plates. Estimate: 2,000 euros - 3,000 euros. Image courtesy of Adams Amsterdam Auctions.
Groote Tafereel der Dwaasheid, Het-, Gedrukt tot waarschouwinge voor de nakomelingen, 1720 [ca. 1740]. Folio. Contemp. marbled, richly gold-tooled calf, spine ribbed and gilt. Title in red & black, with 76 engraved and etched plates. Estimate: 2,000 euros – 3,000 euros. Image courtesy of Adams Amsterdam Auctions.