La Collection Spitzer

Antiquit‚ - Moyen-Age - Renaissance, Paris: Maison Quantin, Librairie Centrale des Beaux-Arts, 1890-1891, three volumes (only) from a total of six volumes, number 393 of 600, illustrated with numerous color plates and engravings, bound in three quarter red leather over pebbled cloth with gilt ruling and lettered title label on upper cover, five raised bands, gilt decorated spine, marbled boards and endpapers, tegNote: Fr‚d‚ric Spitzer (1815-1890) was an art collector and dealer who rose to fame during the second half of the 19th century for amassing a private collection of Medieval and Renaissance art and antiquities so numerous it was once referred to as "the eighth wonder of the world." A large portion of the collection was sold at auction in 1893 after Spitzer's death to great success, with much of it being purchased by the Australian collector Georg Salting (1835-1909) who bequeathed it to the British Museum, the National Gallery, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. In the decades following, it was revealed that Spitzer had engaged in the production and selling of forgeries, bringing the authenticity of some of the works sold into question. At the height of its renown, however, the collection was considered to be of great quality and importance, and in the years just before and after Spitzer's death, this multi-volume catalogue detailing the many works it contained was published. - Provenance: Estate of Paul W. Doll, Jr., Lake Toxaway, North Carolina
Condition Report: wear to extremities, some scuffs and minor losses to leather, most plates with some foxing and light staining, light water damage throughout, some creasing and warping to paper, tissue guards with some wear