[Numismatics. Copy with fine provenance] Medailles de la Republique de Holande [sic]

Manuscript, ca. 1685, 118 mostly one-sided leaves (sometimes both sides) with descriptions of medals: 189 [= 194, VII-XI used twice] descriptions in the main part, IV descriptions under the header "Villes" and XI descriptions under the header "Personnes Illustres", and with 44 blank sheets, original gilt morocco with on the front board the arms of PAULIN PRONDRE [Pondre] DE GUERMANTES (1650-1723) and on the back board those arms cut out [but preserved] and replaced with the inlaid gilt arms of JEAN LOUIS D'USSON DE BONNAC (1672-1738), gilt and ribbed back with morocco letterpiece, all edges gilt, folio (a few scratches and minor other defects).

Interesting and early description of Dutch medals, the oldest from 1342 (p. 109), the newest from 1684 (p. 106-108), possibly a collection (of Prondre de Guermantes?). Online, we found a similar manuscript with the same title from 1685, by Jean-Paul Bignon, Claude Gros de Boze and annotations in the margin by Marc-Antoine Oudinet. See also the work by Pierre Bizot, "Histoire metallique de la Republique de Hollande" from 1687 (in which Bignon is also mentioned), there are clear similarities in the language of the descriptions, there may be a connection. The decoration on the spine of our copy seems to consist of morocco pieces very carefully pasted over an original spine, which explains why the spine does not carry crowned initials of Prondre de Guermantes as usual with books from his library. See for Prondre de Guermantes https://tinyurl.com/knkkbd4, and for D'Usson de Bonnac: https://tinyurl.com/lpopums.