The Magnificent 1756 Folio Volume IllustratingMaria Theresa's Silver Coin Cabinet

131 Duval, Valentin Jameray. MONNOIES EN ARGENT, QUI COMPOSENT UNE DES DIFFÉRENTES PARTIES DU CABINET DE S. M. L'EMPEREUR, DEPUIS LES PLUS GRANDES PIÈCES, JUSQU'AU FLORIN INCLUSIVEMENT. Vienne: Chez Jean Thomas Trattner, Imprimeur et Libraire de la Cour, 1756. First edition. Folio [47 by 32 cm], contemporary full brown calf, sides paneled in double gilt filets; spine with six raised bands, richly decorated in gilt with a floral motif; crimson morocco label, gilt, in second compartment; board edges and turn-ins decorated in gilt; red page edges; marbled endpapers. (4), 358 pages; engraved printer's device on title; exceptionally fine engravings of some 2500 coins and medals throughout. Early handwritten index laid in, with additional genealogical note. Binding a bit worn, but sound, with head and tail of spine professionally restored some time ago. Lower fore-edge corner discolored throughout from old staining: while obvious, it never reaches the coin images. Very good. $5000

A monumental work, comprising a superbly illustrated record of large European silver coins in the remarkable Vienna coin cabinet. While the text is minimal, the quality of the illustrations (by Johann Christoph Winkler) is very high, and the extraordinary number of them makes these volumes a landmark of numismatic study.

Duval (1695-1775), though of humble origin, became a renowned French scholar. When Duke Francis Steven became Grand Duke of Tuscany, Duval accompanied him as librarian to Florence and, when the Duke married Maria Theresa and became Francis I, Holy Roman emperor, Duval was called upon to preside over the collection of coins and medals at Vienna. He was instrumental in the development of the court's magnificent coin collection and Duval undoubtedly inspired his illustrious successor, Father Joseph Hilarius Eckhel.

A comparable copy of this magnificent work in the Anders Frösell Library was sold by us in 2010 for $11,000 hammer. A volume on the collection's gold coins was published in 1759. In their entry 2402, Engel & Serrure discuss the project as a whole:

Brunet 29744. Dekesel D161. Engel & Serrure 2401. Graesse II.456. Lipsius pages 265 & 410. Ex François-Pierre du Pont, Seigneur de Romémont (d. 1792) Library, with his engraved bookplate; ex Baron James Eduoard de Rothschild Library (1844-1881), with his engraved bookplate; ex Bücherei des Architekten-Verein zu Berlin, with their ink stamp in at least two places.

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