Fortsas hoax: collectors gather for a non-existent book auction at Binche

Background. The Fortsas hoax refers to an incident in Binche, Belgium, in 1840. Throughout Europe, booksellers, intellectuals, librarians, and collectors received a catalogue describing a collection of rare books to be auctioned. The message claimed that Jean Nepomucene Auguste Pichauld, Comte de Fortsas, had been a collector of unique books, possessing 52 such volumes at his death in September 1839.

The Gathering. The auction was scheduled for August 10, 1840. On this date, numerous collectors and intellectuals gathered in Binche, hoping to bid on the books. However, they learned that the offices of the notary where the auction was to take place did not exist, nor did the street upon which the offices were supposedly located.

The Revelation. Notices posted around Binche claimed there would be no auction because the town's public library had acquired the books. However, those attempting to visit the library to view the collection discovered that Binche possessed no public library, revealing the entire event as a fabrication.