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Prize Winners 1964 - 2014

"In the world of antiquarian books and bibliographical research, two characters are, day after day, confronted with the problems of research, identification and evaluation of ancient works, precious or not: the Librarian and the antiquarian bookseller. The latter, in particular, because on his science and knowledge depend his trade and his reputation." (Georges A. Deny)
Breslauer Article peetersfontainas 2ndprize

“Dans le monde du livre ancien et de la recherche bibliographique, deux personnages sont, jours après jours, confrontés à des problèmes de recherche, d’identification et d’évaluation d’oeuvres anciennes, précieuses ou non: Le Conservateur de bibliothèque et le libraire antiquaire. Le second, tout particulièrement, car de sa science et de ses connaissences dépendent son commerce et sa réputation.“ (Georges A. Deny)

"In the world of antiquarian books and bibliographical research, two characters are, day after day, confronted with the problems of research, identification and evaluation of ancient works, precious or not: the Librarian and the antiquarian bookseller. The latter, in particular, because on his science and knowledge depend his trade and his reputation." (Georges A. Deny)

Georges A. Deny from Brussels was ILAB President from 1960 to 1965 and the first Secretary of the ILAB Breslauer Prize for Bibliography who laid down the ground rules. The Prize is awarded every fourth year to the author of the most original and outstanding study in bibliography. Deny supervised the first and second awards to Jean Peeters-Fontainas “Bibliographie des impressions Espagnoles aux Pays-Bas méridonaux” in 1967.

1st Prize (1964)


not awarded


2nd Prize (1967)


Jean Peeters-Fontainas, Bibliographie des impressions Espagnoles aux Pays-Bas méridionaux. Nieuwkoop, B.de Graaf, 1965

3rd Prize (1970)


Wytze and Lotte Hellinga, The Fifteenth-Century Printing Types of the Low Countries. Amsterdam, M. Hertzberger, 1966

Ir. C. Koeman, Atlantes Neerlandici. Volumes I & II. Amsterdam, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, 1967-1969


4th Prize (1973)


Claus Nissen, Die zoologische Buchillustration. Volume I: Bibliographie. Stuttgart, Hiersemann, 1969

Breslauer Article koeman

5th Prize (1976)


C. William Miller, Benjamin Franklin's Philadelphia Printing 1728-1786. A Descriptive Bibliography. Philadelphia, American Philosophical Society, 1974


6th Prize (1979)


Blanche Henry, British Botanical and Horticultural Literature before 1800. London, Oxford University Press, 1975


7th Prize (1982)


Francoise Weil, La fiction narrative de langue française de 1728 à 1750 et la librairie. These de doctorat d'Etat presente devant 1'Universite de Provence, 1980. Manuscrit.

Breslauer Article nissen buchillustration

8th Prize (1985)


Gerhard Dünnhaupt, Bibliographisches Handbuch der Barockliteratur. 3 volumes. Stuttgart, Hiersemann Verlag, 1980-1981

Honourable Mention:

Henry R. Wagner and Charles L. Camp, The Plains and the Rockies. A Critical Bibliography of Exploration, Adventure and Travel in the American West 1800-1865. San Francisco, John Howell Books, 1982

Breslauer Article wagner plains

9th Prize (1988)


Manfred von Arnim, Katalog der Bibliothek Otto Schäfer Schweinfurt. 2 volumes. Stuttgart, Ernst Hauswedell & Co., 1984

Honourable Mention:


P. J. Atkins, The Directories of London, 1677-1987
Mireille Pastoureau, Les Atlas Français XVIe-XVIIe siècles


10th Prize (1991)


Anthony Hobson, Humanists and Bookbinders. The Origins and Diffusion of the Humanistic Bookbinding 1459-1559 with a Census of Historiated Plaquette and Medaillion Bindings of the Renaissance. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1989


Honourable Mention:


Arnoldo Ganda, Niccolò Gorgonzola Editore e Librario in Milano (1496-1536). Firenze, Leo S. Olschki, 1988

Peter Meurer, Atlantes Colonienses. Die Kölner Schule der Atlaskartographie 1570-1610. Bad Neustadt, Dietrich Pfahler, 1988

Breslauer Article wytzehellinga

11th Prize (1994)


Jacob Blanck, Bibliography of American Literature. Volumes 8-9, edited and completed by Michael Winship. New Haven, Yale University Press, 1990-1991

Eugene Rouir, Félicien Rops. Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre gravé et lithographie. 3 volumes. Bruxelles, C. van Loock, 1987-1992

Honourable Mention:


Eileen Harris and Nicholas Savage, British Architectural Books and Writers 1556-1785. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1990 (second printing 1991)

Breslauer Article blanck

12th Prize (1998)


Lucas Heinrich Wüthrich, Das druckgraphische Werk von Matthaeus Merian d. Ae. Basel and Hamburg 1966-1996

Honourable Mention:


Alfredo Serrai, Storia della Bibliografia. Roma, Bulzoni Editore, 1988-1995

Marianne Tidcombe, Women Bookbinders 1880-1920. New Castle, Oak Knoll and London, British Library, 1996

Breslauer Article wuthrich vol4 12thprize

13th Prize (2002)


Anna Perälä, Suomen typografinen atlas - Finsk typografisk atlas - Typographischer Atlas Finnlands. 1642-1827. 2 volumes. Helsinki, University Library, 2000

Honourable Mention:


Martin Bircher (ed.), Spiegel der Welt. Handschriften und Bücher aus drei Jahrtausenden. 2 volumes. Cologny, Fondation Martin Bodmer and Marbach, Deutsche Schillergesellschaft, 2000

J. D. Fleeman, A Bibliography of the Works of Samuel Johnson. 2 volumes. Oxford, Clarendon Press, 2000.

David W. Forbes, Hawaiian National Bibliography 1780-1900. 4 volumes. Honolulu, University of Hawaii Press, in Association with Hordern House, Sydney, 1999-2000

Breslauer Article perala breslauerprize2002

14th Prize (2006)


Arthur & Janet Freeman and John Payne Collier, Scholarship and Forgery in the 19th Century

Christian Dekesel, A Bibliography of 17th Century Numismatic Books

Honourable Mention:

Bernard Fischer, Der Verleger Johann Friedrich Cotta

David Griffith, Bibliography of the Bock of Common Prayer

Breslauer Article freemanncollier 14thprize