Lot 336, Auction 3/19/2026: 17th C. French Book Safe – St. Augustine Commentary

$325.00

In stock

Western Europe, France, Early Modern period, ca. late 17th to 18th century CE. A learned book with impeccable posture and a mischievous afterlife, this late 17th century Parisian theological volume has enjoyed at least three distinct careers – first as a serious work of Augustinian exegesis, then as a carefully regulated convent book, and finally as a master of concealment with a sense of timing worthy of a stage comedian. Hollowed from a 1689 Paris printing of a theological commentary by Saint Augustine and other Latin Church Fathers on the New Testament, the volume is titled “Explication de S. Augustin et des autres Peres latins sur le Nouveau Testament. Second Tome”, or “Explanation by St. Augustine and the Other Latin Fathers on the New Testament. Volume Two.” Printed by Lambert Roulland, the book retains its original full calf binding, now deeply worn and supple, the spine divided into gilt tooled compartments with raised bands and floral tooling. Size: 7.9″ L x 5.4″ W x 2″ H (20.1 cm x 13.7 cm x 5.1 cm)

The title page remains intact and unrepentantly official, featuring an engraved royal coat of arms flanked by angels, along with an imprint proudly noting royal approval and privilege. It is the visual equivalent of a raised eyebrow from the crown, reminding the reader that this was serious theology, vetted and sanctioned at the highest level. Only after this display of authority does the book reveal its secret. The text block has been meticulously hollowed to form a hidden compartment, the interior neatly lined with marbled paper in swirling tones of blue, ochre, and cream. The cavity is sized perfectly for a bottle, transforming a work of doctrinal instruction into a discreet book safe. It is a practical conversion, executed with care, and undeniably funny.

An upside down ink inscription on the front pastedown preserves the book’s earlier, more obedient life. Translated, it reads
“This book is kept with the permission of our Mother Prioress; it belongs to Sister de Moncherin of Lancloistre.”
The reference to Lancloistre likely points to a historical seigneurie or noble title associated with regional French landholdings, possibly connected to families such as the La Bonniniere de Beaumont line. The wording suggests controlled circulation within a convent setting, where even books required formal authorization before passing into private hands.

Adding another chapter to its biography is a later handwritten ownership inscription dated 1726 and signed by Valerie Couturon, whose steady hand marks a shift away from cloistered oversight toward personal ownership. Her signature quietly bridges the gap between institutional devotion and individual possession.

And then comes the punchline. Somewhere along the way, solemn theology met human ingenuity. Pages were cut, doctrine made hollow, and Saint Augustine found himself reassigned as camouflage. The result has exquisite comic timing: a serious theological volume turned into a bottle bunker, with the Bishop of Hippo standing eternal watch. Saint Augustine, patron saint of “I swear it’s just one drink.”

Condition: Cover is loose with chipping, bending and tears. Wear to pages with some losses and tear. Still functions as a secret cabinet, but not as a book.

Provenance: Private collection of important Hollywood family, collected between 1930 and 1980

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