12 Apr 2018
"Adversus Superstitiosas Artes"
May the occult powers forgive us for this title: it is not we who are opposed to the “arts of superstition”, it is Benito Pereira (1535-1610) !
Known for his works of theology and philosophy and for the courses he taught at the Jesuit Roman College, this immense scholar from Valencia published this treatise in 1591, in which he denounced the practices of magic, the interpretation of dreams, astrology and alchemy.
We originally planned to present the book to you tomorrow, but tomorrow is Friday the 13th, and you know what they say !...
Known for his works of theology and philosophy and for the courses he taught at the Jesuit Roman College, this immense scholar from Valencia published this treatise in 1591, in which he denounced the practices of magic, the interpretation of dreams, astrology and alchemy.
We originally planned to present the book to you tomorrow, but tomorrow is Friday the 13th, and you know what they say !...
23 Mar 2018
Tableau Synoptique de Prévision Météorologique (1888)
On the occasion of World Meteorological Day, let us present to you a really exceptional object ! To the best of our knowledge, this 1888 Weather Forecast Synoptic Table could well be the first "instrument" designed for making weather forecasts !
With the two shortest branches of the moving arrow, the user was to indicate the
atmospheric pressure, direction of the prevailing winds and general weather tendency, which resulted with the main branch indicating the weather to come ! Of course !
Designed in Clermont-Ferrand by J.R. Plumandon, Meteorologist at the Observatoire du Puy-de-Dome, and A, Colomês, member of the Société Météorologique de France, this extremely rare object was the "result of the experience acquired during twelve years of making the daily weather forecast at the Observatoire du Puy-de-Dôme".
Congratulations to these pioneers, and fair winds to you !
With the two shortest branches of the moving arrow, the user was to indicate the
atmospheric pressure, direction of the prevailing winds and general weather tendency, which resulted with the main branch indicating the weather to come ! Of course !
Designed in Clermont-Ferrand by J.R. Plumandon, Meteorologist at the Observatoire du Puy-de-Dome, and A, Colomês, member of the Société Météorologique de France, this extremely rare object was the "result of the experience acquired during twelve years of making the daily weather forecast at the Observatoire du Puy-de-Dôme".
Congratulations to these pioneers, and fair winds to you !
2 Mar 2018
Roch Le Baillif in New York City
We are now fully ready for the New York Antiquarian Bookfair 2018 ! Please come and say hello to Julien Comellas at Booth B24! Among the 101 fine books on display, this extremely rare collection of works by Roch Le Baillif (1540-1605), the French physician and alchemist of mythical fame! See you in the Big Apple!
23 Feb 2018
Cabinet de Curiosités #1
And your Friday bibliographical curiosity today is... this 1784 clandestine defence of the Waldensian Christian movement ! A copy that may have belonged to the famous Geneva naturalist and philosopher Charles Bonnet !
Attributed by Quérard to scholar Jacques Maranda, the book contains very interesting information on the history of the Christian movement founded by the Lyon preacher Pierre Valdo (or Valdès), as well as fragments from "La Noble Leiçon" in the Vaud language, one of the fundamental texts of this long persecuted movement !
The Waldensians’ historical ties with Geneva invite us to formulate the hypothesis that the handwritten inscription "C. Bonnet" on the title page could come from the great Genevan scientist Charles Bonnet (1720-1793), a most erudite mind and the author of pioneering studies on parthenogenesis !
Attributed by Quérard to scholar Jacques Maranda, the book contains very interesting information on the history of the Christian movement founded by the Lyon preacher Pierre Valdo (or Valdès), as well as fragments from "La Noble Leiçon" in the Vaud language, one of the fundamental texts of this long persecuted movement !
The Waldensians’ historical ties with Geneva invite us to formulate the hypothesis that the handwritten inscription "C. Bonnet" on the title page could come from the great Genevan scientist Charles Bonnet (1720-1793), a most erudite mind and the author of pioneering studies on parthenogenesis !
16 Feb 2018
A sumptuous "Liber Amicorum" ?
We’re back ! And we’ve got something really beautiful to present to you !
Chances are one of you might help us solve the mystery that is this extraordinary copy of the doctoral thesis of Dutch lawyer Willem Wendilium van Berckel (1718-1799) !
This unique copy is remarkable in that it contains only the title page and the dedication leaves of the thesis : in lieu of the actual 50 pages text, 6 luxurious silk leaves ! What's more, the printed paper quires and silk leaves come in an astonishing green velvet binding decorated with gold thread embroidy !
The purpose for manufacturing this objet remains uncertain; yet, the inclusion of the dedication leaves following the title page and blank silk leaves seem to indicate that the blank leaves were meant to be filled by the student's friends and family.
The unusually magnificent character of the binding, which stands in contrast with the austerity of a legal thesis, invites us to think that this copy was meant to be a sumptuous "Liber Amicorum" !
Dear friends, please let us know what you think of this !
Chances are one of you might help us solve the mystery that is this extraordinary copy of the doctoral thesis of Dutch lawyer Willem Wendilium van Berckel (1718-1799) !
This unique copy is remarkable in that it contains only the title page and the dedication leaves of the thesis : in lieu of the actual 50 pages text, 6 luxurious silk leaves ! What's more, the printed paper quires and silk leaves come in an astonishing green velvet binding decorated with gold thread embroidy !
The purpose for manufacturing this objet remains uncertain; yet, the inclusion of the dedication leaves following the title page and blank silk leaves seem to indicate that the blank leaves were meant to be filled by the student's friends and family.
The unusually magnificent character of the binding, which stands in contrast with the austerity of a legal thesis, invites us to think that this copy was meant to be a sumptuous "Liber Amicorum" !
Dear friends, please let us know what you think of this !
5 Jan 2018
Flos Aetatis
The whole team of Librería Comellas wishes you a happy new year!
To celebrate the passage to 2018, we invite you to discover this very rare collection of treatises composed by French theologian Jacques Almain, a posthumous edition published in 1518!
Five hundred years old! The prime of life!
To celebrate the passage to 2018, we invite you to discover this very rare collection of treatises composed by French theologian Jacques Almain, a posthumous edition published in 1518!
Five hundred years old! The prime of life!
29 Dec 2017
Madame de Pompadour's "bibliothèque"
As the year 2017 comes to an end, the time has come for us to thank you, as more and more of you follow us here!
In your honour, it is our pleasure to present to you a copy of the library catalogue of a great patroness of the arts and letters, who was born on December, 29th: Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, better known as Madame de Pompadour (29 Dec. 1721 - 15 Apr. 1764)!
Dear friends and bibliophiles, on behalf of the Librería Comellas team, I wish you a very happy end of the year!
In your honour, it is our pleasure to present to you a copy of the library catalogue of a great patroness of the arts and letters, who was born on December, 29th: Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, better known as Madame de Pompadour (29 Dec. 1721 - 15 Apr. 1764)!
Dear friends and bibliophiles, on behalf of the Librería Comellas team, I wish you a very happy end of the year!
22 Dec 2017
Occitan Cuckold Anthems
What better day than today - as the intense political campaign has finally come to an end here in Catalonia - to present to you a charming little collection of… cuckold anthems!
Printed in Montpellier, this collection of songs in Occitan patois (including one in French) was published on the occasion of the 1832 carnival, during which, as tradition dictated, the young grooms celebrated their condition as new "cournards"!
Needless to say, such anthems to the inevitability of deception and unfulfilled promises could still resonate today!
Printed in Montpellier, this collection of songs in Occitan patois (including one in French) was published on the occasion of the 1832 carnival, during which, as tradition dictated, the young grooms celebrated their condition as new "cournards"!
Needless to say, such anthems to the inevitability of deception and unfulfilled promises could still resonate today!
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