!["FORTSAS, Jean-Népomucène-Auguste Pichauld, comte de (1770-1839)" -- [Renier-Hubert-Ghislain CHALON (1802-89).] Catalogue d'une très-riche mais peu nombreuse collection de livres provenant de la bibliothèque de feu Mr. le Comte J.-N.-A. de Fortsas, dont la vente se fera á Binche, le 10 août 1840, à onze heures du matin, en l'étude et par le ministère de Me. Mourlon, Notaire, rue de l'Eglise, no.9. Mons: Emmanuel Hoyois, [10 July 1840].](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2005/NYR/2005_NYR_01595_0981_000(102652).jpg?w=1)
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"FORTSAS, Jean-Népomucène-Auguste Pichauld, comte de (1770-1839)" -- [Renier-Hubert-Ghislain CHALON (1802-89).] Catalogue d'une très-riche mais peu nombreuse collection de livres provenant de la bibliothèque de feu Mr. le Comte J.-N.-A. de Fortsas, dont la vente se fera á Binche, le 10 août 1840, à onze heures du matin, en l'étude et par le ministère de Me. Mourlon, Notaire, rue de l'Eglise, no.9. Mons: Emmanuel Hoyois, [10 July 1840].
8o (213 x 134 mm). LIMITED EDITION OF 132 COPIES. 8 leaves. Wood-engraved title-vignette. (Lightly browned.) Later red half cloth.
FIRST EDITION of the Fortsas sale catalogue, the most successful and famous hoax in book collecting history. It was at the same time an insider's joke, as the 52 "unique" books offered in the sale were each clearly aimed to appeal to one or more well-known specialized Belgian collectors (and a few Parisians). To accomplish that and keep the titles, imprints and catalogue notes plausible enough to fool numerous bibliophiles, demanded considerable literary knowledge and familiarity with the antiquarian market. Some of course were not taken in and a few actively collaborated in the deception, but it worked sufficiently well for Hoyois to receive many inquiries and commissions and for quite a few buyers to turn up at a non-event. Two copies of the original edition were printed on vellum and ten on various colored papers, but even this ordinary-paper issue is now EXTREMELY RARE.
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FIRST EDITION of the Fortsas sale catalogue, the most successful and famous hoax in book collecting history. It was at the same time an insider's joke, as the 52 "unique" books offered in the sale were each clearly aimed to appeal to one or more well-known specialized Belgian collectors (and a few Parisians). To accomplish that and keep the titles, imprints and catalogue notes plausible enough to fool numerous bibliophiles, demanded considerable literary knowledge and familiarity with the antiquarian market. Some of course were not taken in and a few actively collaborated in the deception, but it worked sufficiently well for Hoyois to receive many inquiries and commissions and for quite a few buyers to turn up at a non-event. Two copies of the original edition were printed on vellum and ten on various colored papers, but even this ordinary-paper issue is now EXTREMELY RARE.