19 - [HISTORY - PHILOLOGY] - Frédéric de REIFFENBERG

[HISTORY - PHILOLOGY] - Frédéric de REIFFENBERG "Philological Archives, or New Historical Archives of the Netherlands" Brussels, Leuven, and Paris: Tarlier, C.J. de Mat, Michel, Dondey-Dupré, 1825–1830, 6 volumes In-8°. Period chocolate-colored glossy half-calf. Spine with 4 raised bands adorned with a gilt fillet. Author, title, and volume numbers in gilt letters. Scuffs, stains, cracks beginning to form, damaged cap. Rare foxing. A complete and exceedingly rare collection of this major historical and philological compendium published under Dutch rule by Baron Frédéric de Reiffenberg. Conceived during the author’s tenure as a professor at the State University of Leuven, this scholarly periodical constitutes a first-rate documentary source for the medieval, literary, and institutional history of the former Netherlands. Its particularly complex publication history explains the changes in publishers and distributors as the volumes were released; the series was initially distributed under the imprint of Tarlier and C.J. de Mat in Brussels, while the third volume was printed specifically in Leuven by the publisher Michel in 1827, with the Parisian publishing house Dondey-Dupré subsequently taking charge of the co-publication of the final volumes. The six volumes contain important original dissertations, transcriptions of unpublished charters, memoirs on the first counts of Leuven and regional noble families, as well as in-depth critical analyses of ancient manuscripts. This considerable preparatory work foreshadowed the creation of the Royal Commission of History, of which Reiffenberg would become one of the leading figures. Provenance: from the library of Philippe de Volkaersbeke (bookplate) References: *Bulletin du Bibliophile belge*, V, p. 110; Roersch, I, p. 285