A remarkable series of eleven day-books produced specifically for use by merchants, the majority of these owned by a single businessman: Jan Francis Driesens of Drongen (a submunicipality of Ghent), with his manuscript notes throughout, occasional doodles, and his red wax seal “JFD” still intact on rear endpaper of one volume.
In each of the eleven books we find, in addition to the calendar, a combination of printed matter including descriptions of the moon cycle complete with wood-engraved ornaments; money conversion tables; post office notices; market days; lists of royalty and local government officials; local doctors, etc. Of the eleven books, there are two series of four consecutive books – 1816-19 and 1825-28. The final three are dated 1831, 1832, and 1835. Together, this series witnessed nearly TWENTY YEARS OF MERCHANT LIFE IN THE VICINITY OF GHENT THROUGH THE EYES OF A LOCAL BUSINESSMAN.
NB: Items are listed chronologically. The numeral in parentheses at the end of each description denotes the order in which it was catalogued; a corresponding numeral is lightly penciled on each title-page for the cataloguer’s convenience matching the book to the entry.
1816: 12mo. [89] ff. (of 90, last leaf torn away). Bound in full flexible vellum wallet with envelope enclosure and pockets, edges speckled red. Later pencil “1816” to front cover. (II)
1817: 12mo. [90] ff. (rear free endpaper torn away). Bound in full flexible vellum wallet with envelope enclosure and pockets, edges speckled red, with “JFDriesens” and “1817” written in contemporary ink (faded) on front cover. (V)
1818: 12mo. [80] ff. (a few leaves detached, single wormhole diminishing from front pastedown through April in calendar). With SEVEN DOODLES/DRAWINGS mostly of soldiers, in calendar and rear free endpaper. Bound in full flexible vellum wallet with envelope enclosure and pockets, edges speckled blue with “Driesens” written in contemporary ink on top edge, “1818” on lower edge, and later pencil “1819” on front cover. (I)
1819: 12mo. [90] ff. With DOODLES/DRAWINGS on one leaf (f. F12). Bound in full flexible vellum wallet with envelope enclosure and pockets, edges speckled red, with “Driesens” written in contemporary ink on top edge, “1819” on bottom edge, and later pencil “1820” on front cover. (VI)
1825: 12mo. [96] ff. Bound in full flexible vellum wallet with envelope enclosure and pockets, edges speckled red, with “JFDriesens 1825” written in contemporary ink (faded) on rear cover, “1825” on top edge, and later pencil “1826” on front cover, plus the same owner’s inscription on front free endpaper. (IV)
1826: 12mo. [96] ff. Bound in full flexible vellum wallet with envelope enclosure and pockets, edges speckled red. INTACT RED WAX SEAL WITH INITIALS JFD [Driesens] on rear free endpaper. (III)
1827: 12mo. [96] ff. interleaved with [77] blanks, for a total of [173] ff. (Stains on E2, blank). Copious annotations, ending on December 30. Partial watermark visible throughout in upper right corners. Bound in full flexible vellum wallet with envelope enclosure and pockets (text block separating from covers), edges speckled blue, “Eggermont(?) … 1827” written in contemporary ink (faded) and 1828 in later pencil on front cover. (XI)
1828: 12mo. [96] ff. interleaved with [32] blanks, for a total of [128] ff. (stubs from additional blanks torn away). Bound in full flexible vellum wallet with envelope enclosure and pockets (front detached, text block separating from covers), edges speckled red, “D.F. Limpens/ Aetate/ 1828” written in contemporary ink (faded) on rear cover, and same date in later pencil to front cover over earlier faded inscription in ink (illegible). (IX)
1831: 12mo. [96] ff. (ff. F11,12 unopened; upper outer corner of one leaf (E7) torn away without loss to text). With TWO NOTES INSERTED AT THE END, one a printed receipt filled in manuscript (giving the merchant’s full name, Jan Francis Driesens), the other entirely manuscript. Bound in full flexible vellum wallet with original wraparound tie enclosure and pockets, edges speckled red and blue, with “1831” written in contemporary ink on top edge, and later pencil “1831” on front cover, plus the same owner’s inscription on front free endpaper. (VII)
1832: 12mo. [96] ff. interleaved with [78] blanks, for a total of [174] ff. Copious annotations, ending on January 17 except for a list on final blank verso (facing G1). Bound in full flexible vellum wallet with envelope enclosure and pockets, edges speckled red and blue, 1832 written in later pencil on front cover. (X)
1835: 12mo. [96] ff. interleaved with [78] blanks, for a total of [174] ff. (a couple wormholes). Copious annotations. Bound in full flexible vellum wallet with envelope enclosure and pockets (front detached), edges speckled blue, 1835 and a name written in contemporary ink (faded) on front cover and same date in later pencil. (VIII)
Offered by Zoe Abrams Rare Books
$4200
To purchase, contact zoe@zoethebookseller.com
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