Bibliothèque Jean Bourdel. Three Parts, complete.
Paris: Artcurial, June 19, 2024; ,
large quarto, pictorial boards. (170); (204); (224)pp. Artcurial, Item #35282
From the Artcurial website: "On Wednesday, June 19th, 2024, in collaboration with experts Emmanuel Lhermitte and Philippine de Sailly, Artcurial organized the first part of the auction of the collection of bibliophile Jean Bourdel (1890 - 1971), totaling €1,785,663 including fees, with 93% of lots sold. The collection is one of the most important libraries of the 20th century dedicated to Gothic prints in French and to poets and writers of the 16th century. After this first sale, two more auctions will offer the last part of the collection in 2025. From the 1920s and for more than fifty years, Jean Bourdel, a passionate and knowledgeable collector, embodied a true homage to 16th-century French literature through the careful creation of his library. Transmitted from generation to generation within the Bourdel family, this collection reflects a lasting fascination with the great names, alongside less famous but equally cherished figures among enthusiasts.
This collection of over 500 volumes is being dispersed over the course of three sales. The books are presented in alphabetical order across the three sessions; the first sale thus offered books classified from A to E. Each sale is then segmented into various distinct sections: gothic prints, poetry and prose, thereby offering a rich and diverse exploration of this treasure of literature.
Proof of the quality of this first catalog is evidenced by the six preemptions by the Bibliothèque Nationale de France and the French Ministry of Culture.
After the success of the first sale on June 19th, which totaled over €1.8 million with 93% of lots sold and 6 preemptions, this auction will once again be divided into three parts: Gothic prints in French, poetry, and prose. Renowned names in French literature such as Rabelais, Ronsard, Villon, and Du Bellay will be featured alongside lesser-known authors prized by collectors and bibliophiles. The library of this discerning collector will once again reveal forgotten treasures, such as Le Champion des Dames by Martin Franc, the first and only edition printed in Gothic type of this defense of women (estimated at €25,000 - €30,000). Another major item is Champfleury, a fascinating aesthetic work on French typography created by Geoffroy Tory, the King's printer under François I, which illustrates the richness of this collection (estimated at €15,000 - €20,000).
On April 14th, 2026, Artcurial will auction the third and final part of the Jean Bourdel Library, in collaboration with experts Emmanuel Lhermitte and Philippine de Sailly. Preserved by the Bourdel family for nearly a century, this collection is one of the major bibliophile collections of the 20th century dedicated to French Gothic prints and 16th-century literature. Following the success of the first two sales, the most recent of which took place in March 2025, this latest sale will conclude the dispersal of a collection that brings together chivalric novels, humanist poetry and major works of prose. True to the spirit of previous sessions, the sale will be organised around three main categories: Gothic prints, poetry, and prose. This is a final opportunity for collectors and institutions to discover rare editions, often first impressions, which bear witness to the vitality of French printing at the turn of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance." Text in French. Mild bumps at the top of spines of parts two and three, else very fine.
Price: $125.00