The E-Sylum:  Volume 10, Number 47, November 18, 2007, Article 7

MORE ON CHRISTIE'S SALE OF KING LOUIS XV'S COPY OF FAMED MEDAL BOOK

George Kolbe writes: "Regarding the superb work by Charpentier
and others on the medals of the Sun King, I found Hadrien
Rambach's notes on the copy to be sold at Christie's to be
interesting and also startling. It is not often that a
numismatic book belonging to a king so famous as Louis XIV
is offered for sale, or one of any king for that matter.

There may be an inaccuracy in Hadrien's article, albeit one
also found in the Christie's description. I have never
encountered a copy of the 1723 edition, nor have I heard
of one, with the "suppressed" eight page preface.

"Louis himself was the 'suppressor' and he had died eight
years before the appearance of this new edition. I have
handled a few examples of the 1702 folio edition with the
preface over the years and, incidentally, the 1702 folio
edition is often found bound much like the Christie's example,
with the Royal Arms impressed in gilt on the covers. Several
versions of the book were also published in quarto, circa
1702-1705, in more pedestrian style, including bilingual
editions in French and German. None of the quarto editions
appear to have been issued with the preface. Perhaps others
can add additional input."

 CHRISTIE'S SALE OF KING LOUIS XV'S COPY OF FAMED MEDAL BOOK
 esylum_v10n46a04.html

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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