L'Abbé de Bérault-Bercaste - Histoire de l'Église - 1778-1790

Rare complete set (23/24 vol.) "Histoire de l'Église" (1778-1790) – Magnificent Jesuit Provenance (Ghent) & Priest's Signature (1788)
Description:
Offered for sale: An exceptional and historically valuable monumental series of the "Histoire de l'Église" (History of the Church), written by the well-known Abbé de Bérault-Bercastel (Chanoine of the Church of Noyon).
This concerns the original first edition (1778 - 1790), consecutively printed in Paris by the royal printer Moutard (Imprimeur-Libraire de la Reine).
Important specifications and features:

* Number of volumes: The complete series should consist of 24 volumes. This set contains 23 volumes; unfortunately volume 23 (Tome XXIII) is missing. The set concludes with the monumental final volume 24 (Tome XXIV, printed in 1790).
* Authenticity & Bindings: 100% guaranteed original antique from the 18th century. All books are in good, sturdy condition with the original full leather bindings from that period (Plein cuir d'époque). The spines are beautifully decorated with gold tooling (veins and floral motifs) and carry contrasting title panels. There is normal, light age-related wear to the edges and corners, which gives the books their unique character.
* Unique Provenance (Historical ownership): This copy has a splendid, well-documented history that significantly increases its value:
1. Handwritten signature (1788): On the title page of the first part lies an authentic ink inscription by the initial owner, the Flemish priest "Jacobo De Polder, presbytero", dated 1788 (shortly before the French Revolution).
2. Jesuit Stamp: Each volume bears the official round library stamp with the IHS monogram (the Christogram surrounded by a crown of thorns and a cross) of the historical "Collegium S. Barbarae Gandae" (The Jesuit Saint Barbara College in Ghent, Belgium).
3. Shelf numbering: All volumes bear the corresponding handwritten library number "419", proving that this set has been kept as a single unit in the same monastic library for centuries.
4. Original index card: The antique library card is still present with the set.

Summary:
A splendid museum-worthy possession for collectors of early church history, antique books, and Flemish/Ghent heritage. Despite the absence of volume 23, this is a rare opportunity due to its unique Ghent origin and the superb condition of the 18th-century leather.