Paris, Potier, Labitte; London, T. and W. Boone, 1868. Two volumes in two, 8vo (24.4 x 15.6 cm). Volume I: Engraved frontispiece portrait by G. Staal, xlvi, [(5)-16], 139; [(119-130; (199-208, (141)-143], 16 pp.; five tissue-guarded plates, showing bindings. Volume II: xiii, 232 pp. Uniform burgundy half morocco over marbled boards, spines with five raised bands and gilt title. Marbled endpapers, top edges gilt.

Catalogue, in two volumes, of the auction of the library of rare and precious books from the collection of the famous scholar and bookseller Jacques-Charles Brunet (1780-1867), auctioned in Paris, rue Drouot, from April 20-24 and May 18-29, 1868. Brunet more or less "invented" the bibliographic dictionary. "In 1810 the first edition of his bibliographical dictionary, Manuel du libraire et de l'amateur des livres (3 vols.), appeared. Brunet published successive editions of the dictionary, which rapidly came to be recognized as the first book of its class in European literature. The last of the 6 volumes of the 5th edition (1860-1865) of the Manuel du libraire contained a classified catalogue (French: Table Méthodique) in which the works are arranged in classes according to their subjects. A supplement to this edition was published (1878-1880) by P. Deschamps and G. Brunet." (Wikipedia). The auction included 2499 [713; 1786] items. Additionally bound in volume one are the rarely present, separately published price list (of the first sale only), two papers by A. Leroux de Lincy taken from Le Bibliophile français describing the two auctions in great detail, and another 12 pp.-article about Brunet by Jean Janin, out of the same magazine (hence the complex pagination). More importantly, it contains many marginalia of the sales prices and the names of the purchasers, written in pencil or ink in an old hand Bookplate "Non omnes moriar" of Mestre on title page verso. Some mild, mainly marginal spotting, but mostly clean. A very good copy, with very interesting annotated names and numbers.