Catalogue des Perles, Pierreries, Bijoux et Objets d'Art Précieux: le tout ayant appartenu à S. M. le Sultan Abd-Ul-Hamid II. Vente, Paris, 27-29 Novembre, 4-11 Décembre 1911

Paris, France: Galerie Georges Petit, 1911. 1st Edition 1st Printing. Hardcover. Very Good Plus/No Jacket. Folio - over 12 - 15" tall. In French, not in English. A true first edition. Printed by Imp. Georges Petit, Paris. 13 x 10 inches [33x 25.5 cm]. Preface by Jean Richepin. The original paperback catalogue is intact, including the heavy-duty cream wrappers, and the catalogue has been protected by a later over-binding of tan-colored buckram. The binding is very clean, with scarcely any soiling observed. With crisp, gilt-stamped red morocco label to the spine. Unbumped spine head and tail, and with sharp corners. Text block firmly bound in. The cover of the paperback bearing the gold cartouche of Abdul Hamid II and with the date 1911. With xv and 58 numbered pages. There are 27 photographic [héliogravure?] plates, as called for. Almost all the plates with lettered tissue guards. An impressively clean interior. A small strip at the top of the title page was unevenly torn by a previous owner and thus the strip is at the top of the opposite page, the catalogue having been originally issued with several unopened sheets. P. 5 with two tiny check marks to the left of two lot numbers. Else no demerits noticed. A respectfully read book. A Very Good Plus copy. Rare in any condition. 3 lbs. 3 oz. This sale of precious jewels took place at the Galerie Georges Petit and at the Hôtel Drouot, Paris, in 1911. Described by the distinguished gemologist John Sinkankas [1915-2002] as, "An auction catalogue of considerable historical interest because of the items sold, namely, a part of the treasure of the Turkish Sultanate that the last sultan, Abdul Hamid II, was able to remove after his exile in 1909." Abdul Hamid II was the last sultan of the Ottoman Empire to hold absolute power. Reportedly, in 1930, his nine widows and thirteen children were granted $50 million from his estate after a lawsuit that lasted five years. His estate was said to be worth $1.5 billion. Catalogue des perles, pierreries, bijoux et objets d'art précieux. Le tout ayant appartenu à S.M. le Sultan Abd-Ul-Hamid II dont la vente aura lieu à Paris. 1. Galerie Georges Petit.- 2. Hôtel Drouot. P., Impr. G. Petit, 1911, 4°, br. Edit. orig. illustrée de 27 planches. Très bon état. Rare.