Description: Two volumes, 16.5 x 11 cm, collated 8vo, uniformly bound in the mid-19th century by H. Stamper (stamp to verso free endpaper) in red Morocco, ornated with gilt fillets and dentelles to boards and turn-ins, spine with raised bands and gilt decorations and lettering in compartments, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt; printed on laid paper; bookplate to front pastedown “EX LIBRIS | DANIEL | BERDITCHEVSKY”.
Title-page (red and black, tall ‘s’): LES CENT | NOUVELLES | NOUVELLES. | SUIVENT LES CENT NOUVELLES | CONTENANT | Les Cent Histoires Nouveaux, | Qui sont moult plaisans a raconter, | En toutes bonnes Compagnies, | Par MANIERE DE JOYEUSETÉ. | Avec d’excellentes Figures en Taille-douce, | Gravées sur les desseins du fameux Mr. | ROMAIN DE HOOGE | & retouchées par feu | B. PICART LE ROMAIN | TOME PREMIER (TOME SECOND) |{device} | A COLOGNE | Chez Pierre Gaillard. | M.DCCXXXVI. ||
Vol. 1:
Collation: [1] flyleaf torn out, [1] frontispiece, [1] title-page, [3] preface (*2-4), [1] Auertissement, [10] table (2+**-**8), A-Bb8 (Bb8 blank); 45 in-text half-page copperplate etchings by various engravers after Romain de Hooge; total 215 leaves plus ffl and frontispiece by Gilliam van der Gouwen after Romain de Hooge.
Pagination (starting from t.p.): [30] 1-397 [398] [2], total 430 pages.
Vol. 2:
Collation: ffl, [*1] t.p., [11] table (*2-8, **-4), A-Aa8 Bb4 (Bb4 blank); 55 in-text half-page copperplate etchings by various engravers after Romain de Hooge; total 208 leaves plus ffl.
Pagination: [24] 1-389 [390] [2], total 416 pages.
Catalogue raisonné: Landwehr (1970) № 94, p. 203; Lewine (1898) p. 326; Cohen-DeRicci (1912) p. 658.
Landwehr cites two editions after the 1st of 1701: Amsterdam 1732 and Cologne 1786 [i.e. 1736].
Both Lewine and Cohen-DeRicci attribute the text to Louis XI and mention the 1736 reprint (though not 1786). The first edition of “Les cent nouvelles nouvelles” appeared in 1486 by commission of Duke of Burgundy Philippe le Bon; the text is attributed to Philippe Pot (1428 – 1493), Antoine de La Sale (c. 1385 – c. 1460) or King Louis XI (1423 – 1483).
Contributors:
Artists:
Romain de Hooge (Dutch, 1645 – 1708)
Bernard Picart (French, 1673 – 1733)
Engravers:
Gilliam van der Gouwen (Dutch, c. 1657 – 1716) (frontispiece)
Laurens Scherm (Dutch, fl. 1689 – 1701) (nouvelles XXIX, XXX, LXXVII)
Jan Van Vianen (Dutch, c.1660 – 1726?) (nouvelles L, LII, LVII-LX, LXIV-LXVII, LXX)
Binder: Henry Stamper (British, 1802? – 1887)
Commissioner: Philippe le Bon [Philip III] (French, 1396 – 1467)
Publisher: Pierre Gaillard (French, fl. 1715 – 1737)
