convicted thief (2 Ergebnisse)

Hardcover. Zustand: Very Good. No Jacket. 1st Edition. Libri, Guglielmo (1803-69) Catalogue of the Choicer Portion of the Magnificent Library formed by M.Guglielmo Libri, so eminent as a collector, who is leaving London in consequence of ill health, and solely for that reason disposing of his literary treasures : Unknown block books; Specimens of early typography and art Editions principes of great rarity; Poems and romances of chivalry, Early productions of the English press Manuscripts & books with autograph notes Including a collection of historical bindings in the most perfect state of preservation. London, Leigh, Sotheby & Wilkinson, 1859. Large 8vo. xx + 380p. Brown half shagreen; gilt lettering on spine. Sale catalogue comprising 2824 lots describing the most valuable early printed books and manuscripts from the magnificent collections of Guglielmo Libri selected for the benefit of his private library during decades of unsupervised plundering of public libraries in Italy and France. The books and manuscript had remained largely uncatalogued at the time which made it difficult to judge the extent of losses. The lots are offered for sale on Monday, 1st August 1859 and over the twelve following days. Count Guglielmo Libri, an outstanding Florentine mathematician, who is now best known as a notorious cleptomaniac, stole books and manuscripts from libraries in Italy and France while researching as a scholar aided by social introductions. His first thefts were scientific manuscripts and books of hours from the library of Lorenzo de Medici in Florence. Seeking greater opportunities he emigrated to France and befriended the politician François Guizot. By 1841, he had become chief inspector of French libraries with unsupervised access to collections all over France. Although massive thefts were discovered in 1847 with Libri as a prime suspect, he was shielded by Prosper Merimée and other friends, whom he lost during the 1848 Revolution. Fearing arrest for theft, he fled to London disguised as a political refugee, having beforehand sent some 30,000 books and manuscripts to be sold. After his conviction in absentia in France, Libri defended his reputation in London in a public letter written on his behalf to the Athenaeum in 1851. With the help of Antonio Panizzi, director of the British Library, he was able to retain the trust of his English contacts and presented himself as a maliciously slandered bibliophile forced to sell his collections because of poor health. The real extent of his thefts and deceptions was conclusively exposed after his death when his collections had already been sold. British Museum, List of Catalogues of English Book Sales, pp 295-96.

Hardcover. Zustand: Very Good. No Jacket. 1st Edition. Libri, Guillermo. Catalogue of the mathematical, historical, bibliographical, and miscellaneous portion of the celebrated library including many scarce publications, relating to America; Rare Junta and Aldine editions Important works relating to Italian history & topography Fine Horae and other manuscripts upon vellum Numerous publications relating to the history of the sciences a very complete and unique series of works relating to GalileoPart the First, A L. London: S. Leigh Sotheby & John Wilkinson, 1861. Large 8vo. xxxi + [1]p + [4] plates of facsimiles + 475 + [1 blank]p. Half shagreen with gilt lettering to spine. The first of two large miscellaneous auction catalogues with descriptions of 4335 lots sold over 12 days from 25th April to 8th May 1861; 250 items related to Galileo, described as lots 2985-3235, were sold on the 9th day. (A second auction ended 26th July 1861). Count Guglielmo Libri-Camucci, outstanding Florentine mathematician, is best known as a convicted cleptomaniac, who stole books and manuscripts from libraries in Italy and France while researching as a scholar owing to social introductions. His first thefts were scientific manuscripts and books of hours from the library of Lorenzo de Medici in Florence. Seeking greater opportunities he emigrated to France and befriended the politician François Guizot. By 1841, he was made chief inspector of French libraries with unsupervised access to collections all over France. Although massive thefts were discovered in 1847 with Libri as the prime suspect, he was shielded by Prosper Merimé and other friends, whom he lost during the 1848 Revolution. Fearing arrest for theft, he fled to London disguised as a political refugee, having beforehand sent some 30,000 books and manuscripts to be auctioned. After his conviction in absentia in France, Libri defended his reputation in London in a public letter written on his behalf by Achille Jubinal to the Athenaeum in 1851. With the help of Antonio Panizzi, director of the British Library, he was able to retain the trust of his English contacts, presenting himself as a bibliophile slandered by malicious political enemies who was forced to sell his collections because of his poor health, as explained in his lengthy (bilingual) introduction contained in the preliminaries.The extent of his thefts and deceptions was conclusively exposed after his death in 1869, when his collections were already sold. ' the first auction sale of rare books to describe in detail so many great classics in the mathematical and physical sciences.' (Norman). British Museum, List of Catalogues of English Book Sales, pp 295-96.