Apr 16, 2026 10:00 EST
Rare Books, Autographs & Maps
23
A nice copy of Plutarch's lives in French
Property sold to benefit Albertus Magnus High School
[PLUTARCH]
AMYOT, JACQUES, translator. Les vies des hommes illustres, Grecs et Romains...Premier tome [Second tome.] Lyon: Estienne Michel, 1577. Two parts in one volume, nineteenth-cenutry vellum, gilt spine, all edges gilt, 6 1/2 x 4 inches (16.5 x 10 cm). [32], 970; [4], 300 pp. Vellum binding slightly discolored but sturdy; front joint just cracked. Contemporary owner's inscription to the title page. Title page soiled and wormed, with some slight worming extending into the first gathering. Dampstaining to the last gathering. Overall a clean copy.
A pleasing copy of Amyot's translation of Plutarch's Parallel Lives. First printed by Michel de Vascosan in 1558, Les vies de hommes illustres was published in several authorized (and many more unauthorized) editions within Amyot's lifetime. Amyot's translation played a vital role in popularizing Plutarch in France. Montaigne, in particular, singled out Amyot as an inspiration on his Essays. Estienne Michel, who published this edition, also published Amyot's Plutarch in folio format. The text of Les vies de hommes illustres is not complete in the two parts bound together here, but we do not trace any examples of further volumes in this scarce edition.
Sold for $448
Estimated at $300 - $500
Includes Buyer's Premium
Property sold to benefit Albertus Magnus High School
[PLUTARCH]
AMYOT, JACQUES, translator. Les vies des hommes illustres, Grecs et Romains...Premier tome [Second tome.] Lyon: Estienne Michel, 1577. Two parts in one volume, nineteenth-cenutry vellum, gilt spine, all edges gilt, 6 1/2 x 4 inches (16.5 x 10 cm). [32], 970; [4], 300 pp. Vellum binding slightly discolored but sturdy; front joint just cracked. Contemporary owner's inscription to the title page. Title page soiled and wormed, with some slight worming extending into the first gathering. Dampstaining to the last gathering. Overall a clean copy.
A pleasing copy of Amyot's translation of Plutarch's Parallel Lives. First printed by Michel de Vascosan in 1558, Les vies de hommes illustres was published in several authorized (and many more unauthorized) editions within Amyot's lifetime. Amyot's translation played a vital role in popularizing Plutarch in France. Montaigne, in particular, singled out Amyot as an inspiration on his Essays. Estienne Michel, who published this edition, also published Amyot's Plutarch in folio format. The text of Les vies de hommes illustres is not complete in the two parts bound together here, but we do not trace any examples of further volumes in this scarce edition.
Auction: Rare Books, Autographs & Maps, Apr 16, 2026
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Successful Auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps on April 16, 2026 Surpasses Expectations
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Thomas Jefferson Letter Commenting on Toussaint Louverture Achieves $32,000
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Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions
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We Invite You to Contact Us for Complimentary Auction Estimates of Your Collection
NEW YORK, NY – Doyle's auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps on April 16, 2026 saw international competition drive strong results throughout the sale and a total that surpassed expectations.
Thomas Jefferson Letter on Toussaint Louverture
Highlighting the sale was a fascinating 1802 letter from Thomas Jefferson as president to Maryland Governor John Francis Mercer that achieved a strong $32,000. The remarkable letter captures a rare, candid moment in which Jefferson assesses, with striking clarity, the arrest of Toussaint Louverture, a leader of the Haitian Revolution, by French General Charles LeClerc, Napoleon’s brother-in-law. Jefferson perceptively warned that LeClerc’s actions would erode trust and likely spark further racial conflict—an insight that proved remarkably accurate. Beyond its sharp political foresight, the letter reflects the broader anxiety the Haitian Revolution provoked in the United States, which contributed to decades of diplomatic isolation of Haiti.
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Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for complimentary auction estimates. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
