The “Purrfect” Library of the Late Marianne C. Gourary at Bloomsbury Auctions
LONDON Maddox Street—The collection of 244 lots is one of the largest of its type to be auctioned in the UK and will be sold at Bloomsbury Auctions on Thursday 29th October 2015. Gourary’s library tracks our feline friends across four centuries, including one of the most desirable books on cats. The second part of the sale features the remaining books and works on paper from the celebrated library of Fête Books owned by Marianne C. Gourary and her husband Paul Gourary.
- Tsuguharu Foujita and Michael Joseph A Books of Cats, 1930, one of 500 copies, with additional suite of plates by Foujita, one signed in pencil. One of the most desirable cat books. Est. £30,000-40,000 [Lot 48]
- 'Little Jane & her Favorite Little Back Cat’, 1822. Very rare - the first copy to appear at auction since 1976. Est. £600-800 [Lot 75]
- Balthasar Klossowski de Rola (Balthasar) Mitsou: Quarante Images par Baltusz, first edition, 1921. The artist’s first book illustrations, signed & inscribed by the artist's mother. Est. £1,500-2,000 [Lot 76]
- Northern Italy (probably Venice, late 16th C.) A masked ball or carnival scene, with Harlequin, musicians, and dancing figures. Est. £1,500-2,000 [Lot 246]
- Attributed to Giovanni Battista Natali III (1698-1765) Three stage designs: Arched entrance to a courtyard, and palace interiors. Est. £2,000-3,000 [Lot 253]
