Three volumes, 8vo, 20.5 x 13.5 cm each, uniformly bound in crimson morocco, ruled in triple-fillet gilt, flat spine, triple-fillet gilt-ruled compartments with gilt elements in compartments, two black labels lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, multiple woodcut tailpieces. Armorial bookplate of Henricus Liber Baro de Gudenus to front pastedowns in all volumes: “HENRICVS LIBER BARO | DE GVDENVS | 1891 | Jauner”.
Title-page: ROMANS | ET | CONTES | DE | M. DE VOLTAIRE | {chain rule} | TOME PREMIER (SECOND; TROISIEME). | {chain rule} | {publisher’s device with motto: “nuper sub modio nunc super”} | A BOUILLON, | AUX DEPENS DE LA SOCIETE TYPOGRAPHIQUE. | {floral rule} | M. DCC. LXXVIII. ||
Vol. 1: Collation: π2 (h.t., t.p.) a1 (table), A-T8, (Aiv unsigned), total 155 leaves plus 16 leaves of plates, incl. frontispiece, and two blanks – first and last, extraneous to collation. Frontispiece by Cathelin after de La Tour, unsigned t.p. vignette (device), 5 unsigned headpieces, and 15 plates after Monnet by Chatelin, Dambrun (5) Deny (6), Thiébault (2), and Vidal. Pagination: [i-v] vi [1-3] 4-304, total 310 pages, ils.
Vol. 2: Collation: π2 (h.t., t.p.) a2 (table), A-V8, total 164 leaves plus 20 leaves of plates, incl. frontispiece, extraneous to collation, no blanks. Frontispiece by Dambrun after Monnet, unsigned t.p. vignette (device), 3 headpieces by Deny after Monnet, 2 unsigned headpieces, 19 plates: after Martiny by Deny; after Monnet by Baquoy, Dambrun (3), Deny (9), and Vidal (4); and after Moreau by Deny. Pagination: [i-v] vi-viii [1-3] 4-320, total 328 pages, ils.
Vol.3: π2 (h.t., t.p.) a1 (table), A-O8 P6 a-f8 g1 h2 (‘avis au relieur’), total 172 leaves plus 21 leaves of plates, incl. frontispiece, extraneous to collation, no blanks. Frontispiece by Dambrun after Monnet, unsigned t.p. vignette (device), indistinctly signed headpiece to “Jenni” after Monnet (probably Thiébault), 2 unsigned headpieces, 20 plates: after Marillier by Deny (4), Lorieux (2), Patas, and Vidal. Pagination: [i-v] vi [1-3] 4-236, [1-2] 3-102, total 328 pages, ils.
Provenance: Heinrich von Gudenus [Heinrich Johann Baptist Ghislain von Gudenus] (Austrian, 1839 – 1915); ref.: Bibliotheca Ecclesiae Metropolitanae Strigoniensis.
Catalogue raisonné: Ray (French): № 35, pp. 71-2; Cohen – de Ricci: 1038-9; Lewine: 562-3.
Contributors:
François Marie Arouet de Voltaire (French, 1694 – 1778) – author.
Artists:
Clément Pierre Marillier (French, 1740 – 1808)
Maurice Quentin de La Tour (French, 1704 – 1788)
Charles Monnet [Monet] (French, 1732 – 1819)
Pietro Antonio Martini (Italian, 1738 – 1797)
Jean-Michel Moreau [Moreau le Jeune] (French, 1741 – 1814)
Engravers:
Jean Charles Baquoy (French, 1721–1777)
Louis-Jacques Cathelin (French, 1738 – 1804)
John Baptist Chatelain (British, 1710 – 1758)
Jean Dambrun (French, 1741 – 1808/14)
Jeanne Deny (French, 1749 – c. 1815)
Martial Deny (French, b. 1745)
F. B. Lorieux (French, fl. 1786 – 1810)
Charles Emmanuel Patas (French, 1744 – 1802)
Elisabeth Thiébault (French, 18th century)
Gérard Vidal (French, 1742 – 1801)
