BESTLEMEIER, Georg Hieronymous (1764-1829). Die Samtlichen Kupserstiche von denen, Bestlelmeirischen Kunst ? und andern, Nutzlichen immer vorrathigen Waaren in Nuruberg (?The Official Engravings of the Best-Selling Art and Other Useful Goods Always in Stock at Bestlemeier's, Nuremberg"). Nuremberg: [Bestelmeier, ca. 1790s]. Small 4to. Illustrated with 49 engraved plates, each with numerous images of toys, housewares, magic tricks, scientific instruments, automatons, and more. Approximately 7 ? x 9". Contemporary plain wrappers on green laid paper, perfect-bound, letterpress label on front wrapper (dated by hand in ink below the text). Text on laid paper (wrappers worn, soiled, chipped, rear wrapper with near contemporary restoration; text edgeworn, occasionally soiled, foxed). Still, a near fine example of this uncommon and charming catalogue.One page may be missing, as the numbered images jump from ?N. 34" to ?N. 37," but this may be a publication error. Although the items in this catalogue are numbered consecutively from 1 to 800, the pages have slightly different layouts, suggesting the catalogue may be comprised of six different part, but as there is no accompanying letterpress descriptions, it cannot be firmly established as such). Offered with a contemporary engraved portrait of Bestlemeier (loose).Bestlemeier was born into a family of brewers but chose a different path ? that of a merchant of toys, magic tricks, fashionable accessories, and more. These scarce catalogues were first produced in 1793, after Bestlemeier had achieved some success in the retail market but he wanted to expand the scope of his business. Bestlemeier did not invent the mail order catalogue, but he was the first to utilize illustrated catalogues, to great success.