[ITALY: two works, a trip to see the Paulucci collection in Florence, and a monograph published in Palermo].

ITALY. - Marquesa Marianna Panciatichi Ximenes d'Aragona PAULUCCI (1835-1919, collector & probable co-author). – Armand THIELENS (1833-1878). Voyage en Italie Mai-Juin 1874. Description de la collection de la Marquise Paulucci, a Novoli pres Florence. Tirlemont, Belgium: imprimerie de P.-J. Stevens, 1874. Octavo (8 5/8 x 6in; 219 x 153mm). Pp. [1-]4-80[-81 final blank page]. (Light vertical fold to approx. the first half of the text block.) Original oatmeal colored paper wrappers, stapled into cream paper wrappers (upper margin of wrapper shaved with partial loss to inscription [see images]). Provenance: probably Dr. Paul Henri Fischer (1835-1893, presentation inscription from the Marquesa Paulucci “A Mr le Docteur Fischer / M. Paulucci”).

An inscribed copy from Paulucci to Fischer: from one great malacologist to another. Thielens, an important Belgian botanist (and vinegar manufacturer) from Tirlemont, notes in the introduction that the initial impetus for his trip the ‘Exposition internationale’ put on in Florence by the horticultural society of Tuscany, but that (actually) his visit to Marianna Paulucci’s collection was the high-point of the trip. Her collection was housed in her home in Novoli (now part of the city of Florence). At the time of the visit, it consisted of “d’environ 9000 especes. Enfin Madame Paulucci possede une riche et remarquable bibliotheque malcologique”. The author lists the principle works on pp.76-7 and includes two works by Dr. Fischer, the recipient of the present work. The title is misleading: Thielens notes that he spent one day (16 May 1874) being shown the collection by ‘Madame Paulucci’, yet he would appear to have had time to record the entire collection in some detail! – I assume he was given an existing catalogue (by Marianna Paulucci?), along with her permission to publish the information (and add a commentary?). OCLC 67367899, and other entries.

[with:]

Pietro CALCARA (1819-1854). Monografie dei Generi Clausilia e Bulimo Coll'aggiunta di Alcune Nuove Specie di Conchiglie Siciliane Esistenti nella Collezione della Sig. Teresa Gargotta in Salinas.  Palermo, Sicily: stamperia di Antonio Muratori, 1840. Octavo (7 ¾ x 5in; 197 x 127mm). Pp. [1-7]-8-54[-56 final blank leaf]. 1 folding letterpress table. Yellow paper wrappers, stapled into cream paper wrappers.

Calcara was a private collector who died relatively young:  the present work is an early (or possibly the earliest) malacological publication from him. His collection was acquired by Giuseppe Antonio Brugnone. OCLC 488239449, and other entries.  (2)

RIJ 164, 1139.