Great Catalogues by Master Booksellers

John R. Payne, bookman and appraiser, has cut the collecting apple in an unusual way. He has written a folio volume about the best, preferred, and desirable cataloguers and catalogues he happened upon in his decades in the rare book field. He explains it this way. “Catalogues are the windows to the soul of the rare book trade” and he has prepared a 485 page volume identifying and describing 140 of them. It’s a very appealing read, inevitably to become a collecting structure for sophisticated collectors who will spend years, if not decades, trying to acquire examples of each of the catalogues identified. It will be an entertaining pursuit and an education.

The 140 catalogues selected are subjective as they should be. Those in and around the trade are known, on occasion, to hold strong opinions. This volume sottovoce asks “what are your personal choices” and there will be few who don’t have them. The genius of this book is that it asks a relevant question about which the trade will have an opinion, but one that has been rarely considered. Everyone will have opinions while few will have the gumption and determination to see this type of project through to its well bound, well written conclusion.

No two persons will have the same list of dealers and catalogues. His short-title list is attached to this story with a circulating set of images of ten of his selections.

The print run of this very desirable book is small as will be the audience that appreciates it. But, for the few who do, it is quite valuable.

Here is a list of them.

Tony Appleton. The Writings of Stanley Morrison, 1976
George Bates. Murder: Rare and Interesting Books Illustrating the Development of The Detective and Mystery Story [1934]
Birrell & Garnett, Ltd. I Catalogue of Typefounders’ Specimens; II Books Printed in Founts of Historic Importance; III Works on Typefounding Printing & Bibliography, 1928
Blackwell’s Rare Books. B. H. Blackwell Ltd. Rare and interesting books on Science mainly related to Transport and Technology, 1969, 1970, [1972]
Henry G. Bohn. A Catalogue of Books [The “Guinea Catalogue”], 1841
The Book Sail. Literature, Art and Artifacts That Will Forever Remain Among the Undead, 1984
J. W. Bouton. Bibliotheca Piscatoria, 1873
Martin Breslauer, Inc. Fine Books in Fine Bindings from the Fifteenth to the Present Century, [1979], and Fine Books in Fine Bindings from the Fourteenth to the Present Century, [1981]
Martin Breslauer, Inc. Fine Books and Manuscripts in Fine Bindings from the Fifteenth to the Present Century, [1992]
Broadfoot’s Bookmark. Confederate Imprints, 1982
The Caveat Book Shop. A Catalog of Rare Books & Manuscripts, 1946
John Cochran. A Catalogue of Manuscripts, 1829, together with A Second Catalogue of Manuscripts, 1837
Charles Cox. John Fowles: The Collection, 2007, 2008, 2010
William and Victoria Dailey, Antiquarian Books & Fine Prints. Phantastica: Rare & Important Psychoactive Drug Literature 1700 to the Present, 1979
Wm. Dawson & Sons Ltd. Medicine and Science, [1950]
Peter Decker. The George Soliday Collection of Western Americana, 1940-1945
Bertram Dobell. Catalogue of Books Printed for Private Circulation, 1891-1906
Percy John Dobell. The Literature of the Restoration, 1918
P. J. & A. E. Dobell. A Catalogue of XVIIIth Century Verse and A Catalogue of Books by and Relating to Dr. Jonathan Swift, 1933, six catalogues [combined]
Dodd, Mead & Company. Alexander Pope, [1909]
Dulau & Company Limited. A Collection of Original Manuscripts, Letters & Books of Oscar Wilde. [1928]
Dulau & Company Limited. A Catalogue for Typophiles of Books of Typographical Interest, 1932
Edward Eberstadt & Sons. The Northwest Coast, 1941
Edward Eberstadt & Sons. Indian Captivities & Massacres, 1943
Edward Eberstadt & Sons. Texas, [1963]
Francis Edwards Ltd. Catalogue of the Australasian Collection of Books and Pictures Formed by the late James Edge Partington, 1934
Frederick Startridge Ellis (J. J. Holdsworth and George Smith). Ellis’s Catalogue of British and American Book-Plates (Ex Libris) Collected by the late Sir Augustus Wollaston Franks, K. C. B., etc., 1905-1906
Frederick Startridge Ellis (J. J. Holdsworth and George Smith). A Collection of Armorial Bookbindings of the Tudor, Stuart and Hanoverian Periods, 1927
Les Enluminures Ltd. Colorful! Color in Medieval and Renaissance Manuscript Illumination, 2005
Ex-Libris. Constructivism & Futurism: Russian & Other, 1977
James Fergusson Books & Manuscripts. David Garnett’s Family Books The Property of the Estate of David Garnett, 2009
John. F. Fleming Incorporated. English Books: Literature, History, Religion, Science, Printed before 1640, 1958, and English Books: Literature, History, Religion, Science, 1641-1700, 1962
John F. Fleming Incorporated and Priscilla Juvelis Incorporated. The Book Beautiful and The Binding as Art, 1983, and The Book Beautiful and the Binding as Art II, 1985
Colin & Charlotte Franklin. A Catalogue of Early Colour Printing from Chiaroscurro to Aquatint, 1977
Gimbel Brothers. An Important Collection of Incunabula, 1467-1500, 1941
E. P. Goldschmidt & Co., Ltd. The Revival of Learning, [1938]
E. P. Goldschmidt & Co., Ltd. Sources of English Literature Before 1640, [1938]
E. P. Goldschmidt & Co., Ltd. Old Books on Various Subjects and A Collection of Early Photographs and Books Commemorating the Centenary of Fox Talbot and Daguerre, 1839-1939, 1939
E. P. Goldschmidt & Co., Ltd. Catalogue One Hundred, [1955]
Goodspeed’s Book Shop. Rare Americana, 1927
Goodspeed’s Book Shop. Printed in the Confederacy, [1987]
Herbert E. Gorfin. Catalogues no. 1-38 and five supplements, 1913-1930
Gotham Book Mart. We Moderns, 1920-1940, 1940
Lathrop C. Harper, Inc. Catalogue of a Selection of Incunabula from over 150 Presses, [1927-1930]
Peter Harrington. The Winnie-The-Pooh Collection of Pat McInally, 2011
Michael D. Heaston, Rare Books & Manuscripts. How They Went West! [1988]
W. Heffer & Sons Ltd. E. M. Forster’s Library, 1971
J. N. Herlin, Inc. Brain Storms, 1983
Jonathan A. Hill. Catalogus Catalogorum, 1987-1992
Walter A. Hill. Robert Louis Stevenson, 1916
The Holmes Book Company. California & the Far West, 1948
Michael Hosking. The Golden Hind Bookshop. David Garnett, C. B. E.: A Writer’s Library, 1983
John Howell – Books. California: Spanish Exploration to American Statehood; The Library of Jennie Crocker Henderson, 1979-1980
Jarndyce Antiquarian Booksellers. The Library of a Dickensian, 2012
The Jenkins Company. American Celebration, 1976, a bookseller’s leaf catalogue
The Jenkins Company. Early American Imprints, 1977,1979, and 1983
Alan Keen Ltd. The Venetian Library collected at the close of the XVI century by Doctor Odorico Pillone, [1947]
Ben Kinmont, Bookseller. Eat Drink & Be Merry! A Holiday List of Gastronomy, 2002
C. C. Kohler, Antiquarian Bookseller. The Darwin Collection, [2003-2005]
H. P. Kraus. The Cradle of Printing from Mainz and Bamberg to Westminster and St. Albans, [1954]
H. P. Kraus. Thirty-five Manuscripts, 1962
H. P. Kraus. Monumentia Xylographica et Typographica: The Cradle of Printing, Part II, 1971
H. p. Kraus. In Retrospect, 1978, together with Fifty Years, 1982
H. P. Kraus. Cimelia: A Catalogue of Important Illuminated and Textual Manuscripts, 1983
H. p. Kraus. The Printed Book, 1995
J. & J. Leighton. Catalogue of Early-Printed, and Other Interesting Books, Manuscripts and Fine Bindings, 1905-1911
Leon & Brother. Catalogue of First Editions of American Authors, 1885
C. F. Libbie & Company. Catalogue of an Extraordinary Collection of Children’s Books of Olden Times, [1925]
Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown. Bibliotheca Anglo-Poetica, 1815
Macmillan & Bowes. A Catalogue of Books Printed at or Relating to the University Town & Country of Cambridge from 1521 to 1893, 1894
Richard Macnutt Ltd. Opera, 1751-1800, 1971
David Magee / Antiquarian Books. Victoria R. I., [1969-1970]
Maggs Bros. Bibliotheca Aeronautica, Part I, 1920, and Part II, 1923
Maggs Bros. The Huntingdon Papers, 1926
Maggs Bros. Catalogue of a Unique Collection of Early Editions of Ronsard, 1927
Maggs Bros. Manuscripts, Miniatures et Beaux Livres du XIVe au XIXe Siecle: Les Debuts de la Photographie, 1939
Maggs Bros Ltd. Four Catalogues on Bookbinding in Great Britain and the British Isles in six volumes, 1964, 1975, 1987, and 11996
Elkin Mathews, Ltd. A Catalogue of Books by or relating to Dr, Johnson & Members of his Circle, 1925
Elkin Mathews, Ltd. Byron and Byroniana, 1930
Elkin Mathews, Ltd. First Editions in English Literature & Music, 1934
Elkin Mathews, Ltd. The Holbrook Jackson Library, 1951
G. Michelmore & Co. A Catalogue of Shakespeareana, 1927
Edward Morrill & Son. American Children’s Books, 1723-1939, [1941
Jeremy Norman & Co. Inc. Catalysts: Books Which Influenced Western Civilization, 1977
Oak Knoll Books. The Alida Roochvarg Collection of Books About Books, 1979-1980
David L. O’Neal Antiquarian Booksellers. Early American Almanacs, [1979]
Payne and Foss. Series of Catalogues, 1825-1850
J. Pearson & Co. Catalogue of a Magnificent Collection of Papal Bindings, [1916]
J. Pearson & Co. Catalogue of a Highly Important Collection of Books Printed Entirely upon Vellum, [1920]
Pickering & Chatto Ltd. The Victorian Novel, 1837-1901, [1935]
Bernard Quaritch Ltd. A General Catalogue of Books, 1887-1898, six volumes plus Index volume dated 1892, plus ten supplementary volumes, 1889-1889
Bernard Quaritch Ltd. Catalogue of a Most Important Collection of Publications of the Aldine Press, 1494-1595, 1929
Bernard Quaritch Ltd. A Catalogue of Rare and Valuable Works relating to the History and Theory of the Game of Chess, 1929
Bernard Quaritch Ltd. A Catalogue of the Books and Pamphlets from the library of Maurice Buxton Forman, 1973
Randall House. What Katy Did: A Recognition of Feminism in the American Experience, 2003
William Reese Company. Authors’ First Books, 1986
William Reese Company. The Streeter Sale Revisited, 1993
William Reese Company. The Literature of the Great War, [1995]
William Reese Company. The Streeter Sale Revisited, 2007
William Reese Company. A Tribute to Wright Howes, Parts I and II, 2012
Kenneth W. Rendell Inc. The American Frontier from the Atlantic to the Pacific, three volumes, 1981
William H. Robinson Ltd. Books and Manuscripts Relating to America… Including the Library of George Grenville, 1940
William H. Robinson Ltd. A Selection of Extremely Rare and Important Printed Books and Ancient Manuscripts, 1948
William H. Robinson Ltd. A Selection of Precious Manuscripts, Historic Documents and Rare Books, the majority from the renowned collection of Sir. Thomas Phillipps, Bt. (1792-1872), 1950
William H. Robinson Ltd. Rare Books and Manuscripts, 1953
The Rosenbach Company. 1776 Americana, 1926
The Rosenbach Company. English Plays to 1700, including An Unique Shakespeare Collection, 1940
The Rosenbach Company. English Poetry to 1700, 1941
The Rosenbach Company. The History of America in Documents in three parts, 1949, 1950, 1951
Leona Rostenberg & Madeleine B. Stern. The Aldine Press, 1967
Bertram Rota Ltd. The Printer and the Artist, 1974
Bertram Rota Ltd. Poetry: The Simon Nowell-Smith Collection, 2002
Charles J. Sawyer. A Dickens Library Exhibition Catalogue, 1936
Walter Schatzki. Children’s Books Old and Rare, [1941]
Justin G. Schiller, Ltd. Realms of Childhood, 1983
Justin G. Schiller, Ltd. Five Centuries of Childhood, 1497-1987, 2002
E. K. Schreiber. The Estiennes: An Annotated Catalogue, 1982
The Scribner Book Store. First Editions of Music, [1935]
The Scribner Book Store. Detective Fiction, [1934]
The Scribner Book Store. Science and Thought in the 19^th Century, [1938]
The Scribner Book Store. Scribners Present The Modern Library in First Editions, 1938
The Scribner Book Store. A Catalogue of Oriental Manuscripts, and First and Other Important Editions of the Tales of Sherlock Holmes, [194-], 1976, and the 2015 quasi-facsimile reproduction of the original edition – prepared as an accompaniment to the Special Copies of Great Catalogues
Serendipity Books. American Fiction of the 1960s, [1979]
Seven Gables Bookshop. Six catalogues of authors’ first books, 1936 – 1972
Alfred Russell Smith, successor to John Russell Smith. A Catalogue of Ten Thousand Tracts and Pamphlets, and Fifty Thousand Prints and Drawings, Illustrating the Topography and Antiquities of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, 1878.
Henry Sotheran and Co. Sotheran’s Price Current of Literature: “The Library of Charles Dickens,” 1878
Henry Sotheran and Co. Bibliotheca Pretiosa, 1907
Henry Sotheran and Co. Bibliotheca Chemico-Mathematica, 1921-1953
Henry Sotheran and Co. The Major Mullens Collection … on British Ornithology, 1924
Henry Sotheran and Co. Choice Books, Manuscripts and Engravings, Including the Isaac Newton Library, 1940
Henry Stevens. Historical Nugget: Bibliotheca Americana, 1862 and 1885
Henry Stevens, Son and Stiles. Rare Americana [Rare 3], [1927
James Toovey. A Catalogue of an Extensive and Extraordinary Assemblage of the Productions of the Aldine Press, 1880
Charles W. Traylen Antiquarian Bookseller. The Wentworth Woodhouse Library, 1949 and 1951
J. & M. L. Tregaskis “Caxton Head.” International Bookbinding Exhibition by the Chief Craftsmen from all Parts of the World, 1894
W. M. Voynich. First to Ninth List of Books, 1898 – 1902
B. Weinreb Architectural Books Ltd. The Small English House, 1977
John Windle Antiquarian Bookseller. William Blake, 2009
Charles B. Wood III, Inc. The Photograph and the Book, Parts I and II, 1976 and 1978
Ximenes Rare Books Inc. English Verse, 1791-1750, three catalogues, [2010, 2011, 2012], with a related catalogue, The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, [2011]