These two books, printed in 1608 and 1615, were sold for half a million euros this Wednesday in Paris. The identity of the buyer has not been revealed.
Two “unique” volumes of Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes were sold for 504,000 euros, including costs, during auctions organized on Wednesday in Paris by Sotheby’s.
The identity of the purchaser of these copies of the famous work – a third edition of book I printed in 1608, and a first edition of book II of 1615 – has not been revealed.
Considered the first modern novel, the story of the poor and mad gentleman who thinks he is a vindicating knight was a smash hit when it was published in 1605.
Purchased by a collector in the 1930s
On public display in November at Sotheby’s in London, the books were purchased almost a century ago by a Bolivian diplomat. Appointed Bolivian Ambassador to France in 1947, Jorge Ortiz Linares, an avid collector, was looking for an original edition of the novel.
He went to London in 1930, “probably the most important place for the international trade in antiquarian books”, explains to AFP Ed Maggs, bookseller and great-great-grandson of Uriah Maggs, founder of the bookstore. of old books Maggs Bros.
18th century related
During his visit to this bookstore, Ortiz does not find what he is looking for, but leaves his contact details while waiting for a new arrival of books. He received a call from the bookseller in 1936, and went to London again. On December 21, 1936 he acquired the two copies of Don Quixote: book I for 100 books at the time, and book II for 750, explains Anne Heilbronn, head of books and manuscripts at Sotheby’s.
If these volumes are “unique”, it is because they were bound in the 18th century for an English collector, and it is very rare to find Don Quixote with such old bindings, she adds.