On Wednesday, June 19th, 2024, in collaboration with experts Emmanuel Lhermitte and Philippine de Sailly, Artcurial organized the first part of the auction of the collection of bibliophile Jean Bourdel (1890 - 1971), totaling €1,785,663 including fees, with 93% of lots sold. The collection is one of the most important libraries of the 20th century dedicated to Gothic prints in French and to poets and writers of the 16th century. After this first sale, two more auctions will offer the last part of the collection in 2025.

Proof of the quality of this first catalog is evidenced by the six preemptions by the Bibliothèque Nationale de France and the French Ministry of Culture. 

From the 1920s and for more than fifty years, Jean Bourdel, a passionate and knowledgeable collector, embodied a true homage to 16th-century French literature through the careful creation of his library. Transmitted from generation to generation within the Bourdel family, this collection reflects a lasting fascination with the great names, alongside less famous but equally cherished figures among enthusiasts.

This collection of over 500 volumes is being dispersed over the course of three sales. The books are presented in alphabetical order across the three sessions; the first sale thus offered books classified from A to E. Each sale is then segmented into various distinct sections: gothic prints, poetry and prose, thereby offering a rich and diverse exploration of this treasure of literature.

Gothic prints
Thees auctions tenthighlights precious French gothic prints, chivalric romances, and historical works that captured attention from the advent of printing until the mid-16th century. Along with these chivalric romances, diverse works dedicated to courtly love and popular literature are offered – including Guillaume Alexis' Le Grant blason de faulces amours (estimated at €6,000 - €8,000) – as well as rare booklets providing advice on civility, most known to exist in only a few copies.

Poetry
The illustrious members of the Pléiade also hold a prominent place within the library of Jean Bourdel. The poetry section will thus showcase the works of Pierre de Ronsard, including the extremely rare first collective edition of Œuvres from 1560 (estimated at €35,000 - €45,000) and the exceedingly rare original edition of Amours (estimated at €20,000 - €25,000).

Prose
During the first session, the spotlight was on the first five editions of Michel de Montaigne's Essais, including the original edition from 1580 (sold for €127,430). This sale will also feature works by Béroalde de Verville, Étienne Dolet, Charles Estienne, Gabriel de Minut, as well as the Project du livre untitled De la precellence du langage François by the printer and philologist Henri Estienne.

The sale of the Bibliothèque Jean Bourdel includes not only exceptionally rare books, but also original editions and collective editions of French literature. Most of these copies are valuable editions, enriched by prestigious provenances, thus offering a unique opportunity for collectors to acquire rare editions of works by François Rabelais, Pierre de Ronsard, Clément Marot, Marguerite de Navarre, François Villon, or Ambroise Paré, adding precious chapters to their own literary collections.