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).

John Blacker (d. 1896; sale, Sotheby's, London, 11 November 1897, lot 39) – [Christie’s NY, 19 May 2000, lot 188].

No VAT on hammer price or buyer's premium.
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