This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/24/2025
[TRUE CRIME]. [LIBRI, Guglielmo (1803-1869), association]. Catalogue of the Mathematical, Historical, Bibliographical and Miscellaneous Portion of the Celebrated Library of M. Guglielmo Libri, Including Many Scarce Publications Relating to America… Part the First, A – L [and Part the Second, M – L]… London: J. Davy and Sons for S. Leigh Sotheby & John Wilkinson, 1861. 4tos. 2 volumes. 475, [1, blank]; 476-799, [1, blank] pp. Bound in near contemporary marbled boards, both volumes rebacked to style in modern woodgrain paper with brown and red gilt morocco lettering labels, marbled endleaves (boards worn, hinges repaired, text toned with neat contemporary price notes in ink on nearly every entry, remainder of original spines affixed to each rp.) Each volume with the bookplate of the Bibliotheca Sobolewskiana on fps. FIRST EDITION OF THIS TWO-VOLUME CATALOG, FILLED WITH STOLEN BOOKS AND MANUSCRIPTS. Libri, an Italian Count and Mathematician, eventually became the Inspector of Libraries in France, largely due to his famous love of antiquarian books and manuscripts. However, he was forced to flee from France to England when his theft of nearly 30,000 books and manuscripts was discovered (they were kept in 18 large trunks). France sentenced him to 10 years of imprisonment in absentia (naturally, he never returned to France). When he died, some of the stolen items were returned, but many are still missing. This 2-part catalog was part of 2 large sales held in 1861, which netted him over a million francs, allowing him to live a sumptuous life. These catalogs are an interesting relic of a bold crime.