Bibliophilism

The bibliophilism is, literally, the love of the books and more particularly the books rare or historically invaluable. The bibliophile is an amateur of books which is often proud of its Bibliothèque and its Collection, but a scholar which has many books can not be a bibliophile.

The bibliophile likes the books for what they teach him; the Bibliomane is only one collector of books.

Bibliophile

The bibliophile is that, that which likes, research and preserves with care and taste, the books. He can collect books relative to a particular field:
  • the original editions;
  • works on fields sets of themes precis;
  • the rare editions;
  • old books, handwritten, Incunable S;
  • restricted pullings (Large paper, Paper Japan,…) ;
  • source ( this book belonged to… );
  • the illustrations (Dreaded Buffon, , Gus Bofa, Hergé);
  • the Binding S of art (Cuzin, Grolier, Ledoux…);
  • bindings with the weapons (books with armoirie );
  • the quality of impression;
  • the value of the text ( traditional texts );
  • the typography;
  • dedicated works;
  • the annotations famous autographs of people;
  • the Ex libris;
  • the notoriety of the author (the Encyclopedia Diderot d' Alembert );
  • …

The fields are vast and quasi-unlimited.

History of bibliophilism

  • Before the invention of printing works, bibliophilism is a reserved domain with rich people. The handwritten are connected of ivory, gold, money, invaluable stones, the taste of ostentation does not have limit. The Books of hours famous characters are perfect the illustration.
    Les larger Librairie S are those of the popes of Avignon, the kings and princes de France and as from the 12th century the monastic libraries.

  • At the 14th century appears the first private booksellers and relatively open within the universities.

  • With the invention of Gutenberg and the artistic influences from Italy, the first criteria of bibliophilism dessinent.
    La commercial binding appears at the 16th century with the famous French bibliophiles Jean Grolier de Servières, and Thomas Mahieu.

  • the revolution will disperse the large libraries of France.

Famous bibliophiles

Gone of the book

All in all, bibliophilism is a market which goes well because there exist collections for all the purses and it touches all the layers of the société.

The english-speaking use a simpler word and speak about bookman (literally “man delivers”). The bibliophile is not an antiquated and hairy insect. He can have the profile of a film star like Johnny Depp, for example. It does not remain about it less than the books are today objects governed by a true market, unstable for certain editions, but solid with regard to a certain number of duly indexed works. Being the subject of less exchanges than at the 19th century (the century of the revival of the bibiliophilie), this market remains strongly active aujourd'hui.

New tendencies

According to Jean Baptist of Proyart (expert in old and modern books and former expert from Sotheby' S): One can seek paperbacks like the first “Black series” from Gallimard. The original editions of James Bond are torn off with the the United States | .

A specimen of the Ulysses of James Joyce, printed in Paris, with its innumerable shells, can be worth: 60000 dollars (: 40000 euros).

For the modern period, in addition to the great classics, one can collect:

  • the data bases, Tintin (N&B more appraisal), Snipe (before 1930);
  • Jules Verne (edition Hetzel);
  • the book-club as those of the French Club of the book;
  • the Guild of the Book at least for the period prior to 1960.
  • …

Certain titles of the Livre of Pocket are particularly required as those of Jacques Prévert whose model maker was Pierre Faucheux, the Master of the modern Graphisme in France. For these new fields, one speaks about small bibliophilism.

In an intermediate category let us announce the bindings of Mario Prassinos or Paul Bonet for Gallimard (works commonly called “boardings NRF”), whose market seems well established but remains accessible. The Parisian bookseller Jean-Etienne Huret their devoted a reference book ( besides Boardings NRF. Bibliography , Paris, Nicaise Bookstore, 1997, rééd. 1998).

The most invaluable books

  • the Biblia Latina with 42 lines of 1455 is the book more sought by the institutions and bibliophiles of the whole world. The price for a complete specimen reaches the 10 million dollars.

  • Psalmorum Codex, known as “Psautier of Mainz”, celebrates work printed by Johann Fust and Pierre Schoeffer with Mainz in 1457, reprinted by them in 1459. This work is considered, with the four books printed by Gutenberg, like one of the most invaluable books of all times.

  • a Don Quichotte, in first edition, cannot be acquired for less than 3 millons of dollars.

See too

Contemporary period:

Random links:Frederic Jules Sichel | Jeanne of the Brabant | Malatya (province) | In Absentia | Church (institution) | 2-10-4