Another inscription, that of Hans Sachs, is found in Item 220. Sachs was the mastersinger of Nuremberg, subject of Wagner’s opera “Der Meistersinger.” The inscription is to his second wife and expresses his affection. £22,000.

Item 190 is perhaps the most important book of the Age of the Enlightenment, Denis Diderot’s Encyclopedie… This massive, 35-volume work, published between 1751 and 1780, lay down the values of freedom and justice we value to this day. Undoubtedly one of the most important books ever written. £48,000. Another influential book of the Enlightenment offered is John Locke’s An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. This book was the foundation of empirical philosophy, which established the scientific method as the source for knowledge. Item 206. £12,000.

For those with culinary interests, Item 133 is a collection of 493 German menus from 1893 until the 1930s. The menus were taken from hotels and cruise ships and are mounted in two albums. £6,000.

Some magnificent illustrations are found within the books on natural history and science. Item 35 is Pierre-Joseph Redoute’s 1824 Les Roses. Redoute was a great flower artist who was hired as the botanical artist for Empress Josephine, Mrs. Napoleon for short. The illustrations provide a history of the varieties of roses as they existed at this time, almost two centuries ago. £18,500.

Something else happened in the year 1776. That was the year in which Sir William Hamilton’s Campi Phlegraei. Observations on the Volcanos of the Two Sicilies…was published. This two-volume set includes 59 hand-colored plates of volcanoes of Italy. Hamilton and artist Fabris are reported to have climbed Vesuvius 22 times, often at risk, to sketch the volcano at various stages of eruption. Item 21. £80,000.

Another amazing study from the early 19th century is the Histoire Naturelle des Mammiferes… (Natural History of mammals). This includes 431 hand-colored lithographs of mammals, including 500 descriptions of various species. Item 19. £50,000.

Bernard J. Shapero Rare Books may be found on the web at www.shapero.com or reached by phone at 44 (0) 20 7493 0876.