Pierre Bergé Reveals His Private Library of Rare Books

Pierre Bergé is known most for having been the lover of Yves Saint Laurent and the man behind the business. After the death of the designer, he created Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent as an hommage and a way to continue to revive the memory.

It is also known that Pierre Bergé has a passion for books, and not only some books but rare and fine ones. Manuscripts, musical scores, all these gathered in his own library. Now, he is prepared to auction them starting December 11 at Druout in Paris and then other sales in 2016 and 2017. His passion started when he was 14 and worked for a library. He was sent to scour the market for rare books that could be resold afterward at a higher price. This is how he got his taste for rare books. Now his collection contains titles like the first edition of St. Augustine's "Confessions" printed at about 1470 or Gustave Flaubert's "Madame Bovary" with a dedication written in pen for Victor Hugo. 

Why does he do this?

"Because I'll be 85 before the end of the year and one has to be conscious of one's age and think of the future," Pierre Bergé said. "I have no heirs, so I've willed this library to the foundation. It's decided and organized, but I prefer to take care of it myself while I'm still alive," he added. 

The auction from December is estimated to be worth around 8 millions.

Editor Andra Oprea