The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World

Jacques Bosser & Laurel Hirsch

ISBN 10: 0810946343 / ISBN 13: 9780810946347

Published by Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York, 2000

About this Item

A Good copy in a Good dust wrapper of a title in which ".a privileged tour of twenty-three of the world's most historic libraries, representing twelve countries and ranging from the great national monuments to scholarly, religious, and private libraries." Dust wrapper illustration on front is a majestic photograph of the Library of Congress. Dust wrapper is not price clipped. Small divot, scratching and creasing to the bottom corner of the front of the dust wrapper. Small closed tears, chipping along bottom edge and scratching to rear dust wrapper. Black lettering is slightly chipped on white boards. Spotting to whit boards have rubbed onto the inside of the dust wrapper. Small creasing to corners of boards. Wear to page edgings on all sides. Front flyleaf has a bookplate attached that reads:"Warmest Holiday Greetings / Legg Mason Investment Counsel" which is now 1919 Investment Counsel. Small spot inside front boards. Slight curl to boards. From rear flap:"Printed in France" Lavishly illustrated with some gatefold pages. Oversized, coffee table book. From title page:"Foreward by James H. Billington, The Librarian Of Congress" Contents:"Foreword; Introduction; Vienna, Austria: National Library Of Austria; Admont, Austria: The Benedictine Abbey Library Of Admont; Ulm, Germany: The Monastic Library At Wiblingen; Metten, Germany: The Benedictine Abbey Library Of Metten; Weimar, Germany: The Herzogin Anna Amalia Library; Rome, Italy: The Vatican Library; Florence, Italy: Riccardiana Library; Paris, France: The Mazarine Library; Paris, France: The Institute Library; Paris, France: The Senate Library; Chantilly, France: The Cabinet Des Livres Of The Duc D'Aumale; Saint Gall, Switzerland: The Abbey Library Of Saint Gall; Oxford, England: Bodleian Library; Cambridge, England: Wren Library, Trinity College; Manchester, England: The John Rylands Library; Dublin, Ireland: Trinity College Library; Prague, The Czech Republic: The National Library; San Lorenzo del Escorial, Spain: The Library Of The Royal Monastery Of El Escorial; Mafra, Portugal: The National Palace Library In Mafra; Boston, United States of America: Boston Athenaeum; Washington, DC, United States of America: The Library Of Congress; New York, United States of America: The New York Public Library; Saint Petersburg, Russia: The National Library Of Russia; Bibliography" 247 pages. From front flap:"Through gorgeous color photography one can marvel at the grandeur of the great public libraries while relishing the rare glimpses inside scholars-only private archives.".

Seller Inventory # 003306

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York
• Publication Date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0810946343
• ISBN 13: 9780810946347
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Guillaume De Laubier
• Condition: Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • Libraries

About this title

Synopsis

The gift book for fans of libraries and gorgeous interior design—a lush volume to explore, display, and share.

The extraordinary collection of images in The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World is from Guillaume de Laubier, one of France’s foremost photographers of interior design.
 
All of the libraries in the world—whether small or large, public or private—serve the same purpose: to preserve, cherish, or show off the riches of human knowledge. Now, for the first time, an internationally renowned photographer takes the reader on a journey to more than 20 of the most historic of these magical places, all architectural treasures.
 
From the dramatic, baroque Library of the Institut de France in Paris to the splendid Vatican Library in Rome; from the majestic Royal Library in El Escorial, Spain, to the famed New York Public Library, a Beaux-Arts masterpiece—here are some of the most exquisite libraries of the Western world. Included are national, scholarly, and religious libraries from 12 countries, which have in common a distinguished heritage and an architectural setting that emphasizes art and culture.
 
Journalist Jacques Bosser’s accompanying text traces the history of libraries to the present day and describes how they came to serve famous personalities and men and women of letters. Libraries must be counted among civilization’s crowning achievements; this elegant book is a fitting tribute to that accomplishment.

Foreword by James H. Billington, Librarian of Congress

About the Author

Guillaume de Laubier is one of France's foremost photographers of interior design. He has undertaken projects all over the world for magazines such as Elle Décoration, Architectural Digest, and Madame Figaro. Jacques Bosser, journalist and translator, has written for Architectural Digest and Connaissance des Arts as well as contributing to Le Dictionnaire international des arts appliqués et du design and Le Dictionnaire international du bijou. James H. Billington has been the Librarian of Congress for more than 15 years.