4to, engraved general title, letterpress red & black title page with allegorical engraved vignette. 18 full-page copper-engraved plates by Jan van Vianen, each featuring six circular images, and 38 in-text reproductions, engraved decorative initials, and head- and tailpieces. Phaedrus (15 BC - 50 AD, Italy), was a "Roman fabulist, the first writer to Latinize whole books of fables, producing free versions in the iambic metre of Greek prose fables then circulating under the name of Aesop." (Ency. Brit.). This deluxe edition was specially created for the Prince of Nassau, profusely illustrated with fine engravings. Dibdin spoke highly of it in his Greek and Latin Classics (4th edition): "I have always considered this as a correct and very sumptuous edition. It is ornamented with a great number of small plates, or medallions, in which the subject of the fable is very ably and spiritedly executed.
Ref.: Metropolitan Museum; Musée Médard
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Phaedri, Aug. Liberti Fabularum Aesopiarum libri V / notis illustravit in usum serenissimi principis Nassavii David Hoogstratanus. Accedunt ejusdem opera duo indices, quorum prior est omnium verborum, multo quam antehac locupletior, posterior eorum, quae observatu digna in notis occurunt. — Amstelaedami : Ex Typographia Francisci Halmae, MDCCI [1701]. — pp.: [1] title, [1] (portr.), [32] 160, [84], 18 leaves of plates. Vita Phaedri is written by Johannes Schefferus (February 2, 1621 – March 26, 1679). Appendix fabularum is written by Marquard Gude (Gudius) (1 February 1635 – 26 November 1689). Gaius Julius Phaedrus was a 1st-century CE Roman fabulist and the first versifier of a collection of Aesop's fables into Latin. David van Hoogstraten (Rotterdam, March 14, 1658 - Amsterdam, November 21, 1724), a physician, poet and linguist, annotated the fables and dedicated them to Johan Willem Friso van Oranje-Nassau (14 August 1687 – 14 July 1711). The book was published in Amsterdam by François Halma (Langerak, January 3, 1653 - Leeuwarden, January 13, 1722), a Dutch printer, publisher and bookseller, with a portrait of Prince of Orange-Nassau, engraved by Pieter van Gunst (Dutch, Amsterdam 1659–1724) after Bernard Vaillant (Dutch, Lille 1632–1698 Leyden). The title page was engraved by P. Boutats after Jan Goeree (Dutch, Middelburg 1670–1731 Amsterdam). The edition is adorned throughout with 18 plates, each with 8 médaillons, designed and engraved by Jan van Vianen (Dutch, 1660–1726), and with vignettes, head- and tailpieces, inhabited initials, etc. Contemporary vellum over boards, title in red and back, red edges, 4to, 26 x 20 cm. Seller's description: -
Amoris Divini Emblemata, Studio Et Aere Othonis Vaeni Concinata. — Antverpiae: Ex Officina Plantiniana Balthasaris Moreti, MDCLX [1660]. — pp.: [1] (Van Veen port.), [1] title, [2] (Isabella port.), 3-127 [1], 60 illustr. — 2nd impression. Octavius Vaenius, a.k.a. Otto Vaenius or Otto Van Veen (c. 1556-1629) was Rubens's last and most influential teacher. The Amoris divini emblemata was first published in 1615 by Nutius & Meursius in Antwerp. Vaenius’s book was to influence Herman Hugo's Pia desideria (LIB-1657.2018). Book structure: On frontispiece, trimmed and mounted portrait of Octavius Vaenius painted by his daughter Gertruida van Veen (signed Gertrudis filia) and engraved by Nicolas de Larmessin. Trimmed portrait of the Infanta Isabella Clara of Austria (1566 – 1633) pained by Peter Paul Rubens and engraved by Jan de Leeuw mounted to title verso. 60 engraved plates with emblems are on recto pages with facing texts: Latin quotations from Bible and Fathers, Spanish verses by Alphonso de Ledesma, Dutch by Vaenius and French by Carolus Philippus Hattron (d. 1632). Rebound in the mid-19th century in brown quarter Morocco with blind marbled boards and gilt lettering to spine. Inscription in ink on verso to van Veen portrait: "I bought this volume with the portraits inserted at the sale of the library of my uncle Samuel Rogers, Esq." Signed: "Frederick Sharpe, 1856". Frederick Sharpe (born was a son of Samuel Sharpe (1799–1881), the nephew of Samuel Rogers (1763–1855), a celebrated English poet. Size: 23.3 x 17.9 cm. Ref.: Emblem Project Utrecht (with an explanation of all the emblems); PETER BOOTHUYGENS: Similar or Dissimilar Loves? -
Quinze poèmes d'Emile Verhaeren. Illustrés de 57 gravures sur bois dessinées et gravées par Frans Masereel et suivis d'un 'Souvenir à Verhaeren' par Octave Uzanne. — Paris: Éditions Georges Crès, 1917. Authors: Emile Verhaeren (text), Frans Masereel (illustrations), Octave Uzanne (text). Publisher: Éditions Georges Crès. [Georges-Célestin Crès (1875 - 1935) was a French publisher and bookseller. Address: 116 boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris]. Printer: Sonor S.A. - Geneve, under the direction of Auguste Jordanis. The number of copies printed: 1555 of which 15 (1-15) on Japan paper, 190 (16-205) on Fabriano paper, and 1350 (206-1555) on English paper (1506-1555 not for trade). This copy № 1312. Pagination: [i] - front cover, [ii] - half-title, [iii] - title, [iv] - printrun justification, [v] - table of contents, [vi] - blank, [i-vii] viii-ciii, [civ] - printer statement, [cv] - back cover; one-side (recto) printing and pagination. Owner's contemporary red half-Morocco with marbled boards; spine with four raised bands, gilt lettering and design elements. Original printed paper wrappers preserved. Marbled endpapers. Trimmed unevenly. -
A two-volume set: (1) Thomas Hugo. The Bewick Collector. A Descriptive Catalogue of the Works of Thomas and John Bewick; Including cuts, in various states, for Books and Pamphlets, Private Gentlemen, Public Companies, Exhibitions, Races, Newspapers, Shop Cards, Invoice Heads, Bar Bills, Coal Certificates, Broadsides, and other miscellaneous purposes, and Wood Blocks. With an Appendix of Portraits, Autographs, Works of Pupils, etc., etc. The whole described from the Originals contained in the largest and most perfect collection ever formed, and illustrated with a hundred and twelve cuts. — London: Lovell Reeve and Co., MDCCCLXVI [1866]. — [Printed by] J. E. Taylor and Co., printers. — pp.: [i-v] vi-xxiii [xxiv], [1] 2-562. (2) Thomas Hugo. The Bewick Collector. A Supplement to a Descriptive Catalogue of the Works of Thomas and John Bewick; Consisting of additions to the various divisions of cuts, wood blocks. etc., enumerated in that work. The whole described from the Originals contained in the largest and most perfect collection ever formed, and illustrated with a hundred and eighty cuts. — London: L. Reeve and Co, MDCCCLXVIII [1868]. — [Printed by] J. E. Taylor and Co., printers. — pp.: [i-vii] viii-xxxii, [1] 2-353. Both volumes in 8vo, 22.5 x 14.5 cm, hardcover. Contemporary dark brown half morocco, gilt-ruled, with 5 raised bands, gilt titles and decoration to spine, and marbled paper over boards. Top edge gilt; marbled endpapers. Binding splitting at pp.80/81 of the 1st volume. Armorial bookplate of Ralph Hart Tweddle to front pastedown. Ralph Hart Tweddle (1843 – 1895) was a British mechanical engineer, known particularly for inventing the portable hydraulic riveter, which greatly facilitated the construction of boilers, bridges and ships. -
[Jean de LA FONTAINE]. Contes et nouvelles en vers. De Monsieur de La Fontaine. Nouvelle édition enrichie de tailles-douces. À Amsterdam | Chez Henry Desbordes, MDCLXXXV [1685]. — 2 vol. in 1. Pagination: [1] - frontispiece with pasted illustr., [*1] - title p. with blank verso, *2-*5 (only recto numbered) - advertisement, [1] - preface vol. 1, [2] table, 1-236; [6] - preface vol. 2, 1-216, illustr. (in text). Etched frontispiece plate and 58 half-page etchings at the head of each chapter as well as endpiece vignettes, all by R. de Hooge (Romeyn de Hooghe, 1645 – 1708, a Dutch painter, sculptor, engraver and caricaturist. First illustrated edition. "Publication of the scandalous fables was forbidden in France from 1674. According to Van Eeghen, this edition was published without the knowledge of La Fontaine. ...This is the edition with ‘Le Juge de Nêle’ (instead of Mesle) in the contents of the first volume, as well as page 211 for 'Dissertation sur la Joconde'; 16 lines of text on page 211; and 19 lines of text on the first page of the preface of volume 2" [1]. Pott 8vo (15.4 x 10 cm), hardcover; owner's later tan polished half-calf, marbled boards, marbled pastedowns and flyleaves, 5 raised bands, dark brown labels with gilt lettering and gilt roll patterns on spine, tail of the spine slightly damaged. Corners bumped, spotted stains on leather. Henri Desbordes (d. ca. 1722) was a Huguenot printer who was exiled from his business in France and set up as a publisher in Amsterdam in the 17th century. -
[Michael Hoyer]. Vita B. Ioannis Chisii a Maciaretto, ord. ermit. s. p. Augustini. — Antverpiæ, Apud Henricum Aertssens, Anno MDCXLI [1641]. Pagination: [2] *3+recto unpag. *4+recto unpag., [10], 5-135 [3]. Illustrations: Frontispiece missing, 4 copperplate engravings (pp. 22, 64, 90, and 120) by Pieter de Jode the Younger (1606–1674, Flemish printmaker, draughtsman, painter and art dealer) after Erasmus Quellinus the Younger (1607–1678, Flemish painter, engraver, draughtsman and tapestry designer). Size: Pott 8vo (15.5 x 10 cm), vellum binding. Expanded title: Vita Beati Ioannis Chisii, a Maciaretto, Ordinis Eremitarum Sancti Patris Augustini. [Translation: Life of Blessed Giovanni Chigi from Maciaretto, Order of Hermits of St. Augustine]. Blessed Giovanni Chigi (1300 - 1363) [1] was a lay brother of the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine. The Chigi family is a Roman princely family of Sienese extraction descended from the counts of Ardenghesca. The earliest authentic mention of them is in the 13th century, with one Alemanno, counsellor of the Republic of Siena. The Wikipedia article does not mention Giovanni Chigi, however, it states that one of the Chigi, Cardinal Fabio Chigi, was elected pope as Alexander VII at the Conclave of 1655. The book was published in 1641 with a dedication to the said Cardinal Fabio Chigi before he was elected pope. The town, Maciaretto, where Giovanni Chigi was from, is unclear because there is no such place in modern Italy, and there are two places called Macereto: (1) Macereto Alta/Basso in Perugia province and (2) Macereto in the municipality of Visso, in the province of Macerata, region Marche. I assume that our Giovanni Chigi was from the one that is closer to Siena, i.e. Macereto in Perugia province. Regarding the author. There is no author's name in the book. However, in various sources, the book is mentioned as written by Michel Hoyer, who was born in Hesdin, Flanders in 1593 and died in 1650. He pursued an ecclesiastical career and professed rhetoric at the College of Saint Pierre in Lille. He later joined the Order of Saint Augustine, in the convent of Ypres, and settled in various schools in the Netherlands. His reputation attracted many students, among them Albert Rubens (1614–1657), the eldest son of Peter Paul Rubens and Isabella Brant. Michel Hoyer wrote several books, the most known is Flammulae amoris, S.P. Augustini versibus et iconibus exornatae:
Surprisingly, there is only limited information about Michel Hoyer in Spanish Wikipedia; other language versions of his biography do not exist. Another author mentioned in the book is some anonymous Augustinian from Cologne.
Regarding the illustrations. In our copy, the frontispiece is missing. It was probably ripped off by some unscrupulous seller of antique prints.
The image on the missing frontispiece is this:
The names of the artists engraved in the bottom of the stone: E. Quellinus, delin. to the left and P. de Jode, fecit. to the right. We can infer that the other illustrations in that book are produced by the same duo. The image represents three cherubs: one with Athena's serpent in his left hand and a cardinal's hat in his right hand; another in Athen's helmet on his head and her owl beside his feet, with the staff of Mercurius (serpent-twined staff adorned with a winged hat) in his left hand, and the House of Chigi - Della Rovere coat of arms in his right hand; the third cherub depicted with the Hercules attributes - lion pelt and a club.
Regarding the publisher. Henricum Aertssens or Hendrik Aertssen, 1586-1658. Besides the other books, he published PIA DESIDERIA by Herman Hugo in 1636 [1621 french edition by Jean Cnobbartin in Antwerp in his collection LIB-1657.2018]. According to Nina Lamal [2], nothing is known about career of this publisher, besides what's said in Adresboek van zeventiende-eeuwse drukkers, uitgevers en boekverkopers in Vlaanderen / Directory of seventeenth-century Printers, Publishers and Booksellers in Flanders / Vlieger-De Wilde, Koen De (editor). The list of his publications can be seen here.
Other artists who turned to the figure of Blessed Giovanni Chigi were Abraham van Diepenbeeck (painter) and Conrad Lauwers (engraver). The print is in Rijksmuseum, in Amsterdam.
Here we see a more complex composition but with a clear reference to the work of Quellinus and de Jode: The cherub in Athena's helmet takes away the old coat of arms of the Chigi, and the other cherub points out to the new one, with papal symbols of St. Peter's keys, another cherub carries the papal tiara. Rijksmuseum dates the image as 1642 - 1685; most probably it is ca. 1655, when Fabio Chigi became Pope Alexander VII, and propaganda was focused on promoting his outstanding ancestor Giovanni, who died 300 years before. Giovanni Chigi is depicted here resurrected, accompanied by the archangel, and receiving the blessing from Jesus on the cross.
1 - Michael J. Walsh. A New Dictionary of Saints: East and West, p. 308.
2 - Nina Lamal. Publishing military books in the Low Countries and in Italy in the early seventeenth century in 'Specialist Markets in the Early Modern Book World', ed. Richard Kirwan, Sophia Mullins, Leiden: Koninklijke Brill, 2015, pp. 232-233.
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L'Imitation de Jésus-Christ / Traduite et paraphrasée en Vers François Par P. Corneille. — A Paris, Chez Pierre Rocolet, Imprimeur & Libraire ordinaire du Roy, au Palais, en la Gallerie des Prisonniers, aux Armes du Roy & de la Ville. M. DC. LVI. Avec Approbation des Docteurs, et Privelege de sa Majesté. Paris: Pierre Rocolet, 1656. Half-title: Les Quatre Livres de L'Imitation de Iesus-Christ. Traduites et paraphrasez en vers françois Par P. Corneille. — pp.: ff [2 pictorial ht, verso blank] [2 title, blank] [10 epistre] [2 av lecteur] [2 approbation, frontis.] 1-551 [552-60 table, privilege] bf. 8vo, 24.7 x 18.7 cm, hardcover; full speckled brown calf, gilt double-ruled boards, spine with raised bands, gilt double-ruled compartments with lozenges, sprayed margins; pages darkened. Purple ink stamp of Diocèse de Valencia to half-title. Nut ink ex libris handwriting on front paste-down. Plates: Half-title: unsigned copper engraving with the coat of arms of Pope Alexander VII (r. 1655 – 1667) which contains an oak tree in the top left and bottom right quarters (from Della Rovere family, Dukes of Urbino), the top right and bottom left quarters feature a mountain of six coupeaux in base with three stars above (from Chigi family). Four copper engravings inbound at the beginning of each book signed 'F. Chauueau in et fe.': Page 1: Jesus teaches His disciple. Page 113: Annunciation. Page 183: Jesus meets Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. Page 459: Last Supper. François Chauveau (10 May 1613, Paris – 3 February 1676, Paris), a French painter and engraver. Thomas à Kempis (c. 1380 – 25 July 1471), a German-Dutch canon regular. Pierre Corneille (1606 – 1684), a French poet and playwright. Pierre Rocolet (1610 – 1662, active circa 1638 à 1662), a French publisher and printer. -
M. de Chertablon. La maniere de se bien preparer a la Mort par des Considerations sur la Cene, la Passion, et la Mort de Jesu-Christ. – Antwerp: George Gallet, 1700. Pagination: ff, [2 - blanks] [2 - t.p., blank] [3 - advert.] 4-63 [64]; 42 copper etched plates by Romeyn de Hooghe: A, B, C, 1-39; [20 - Dutch plate description of the David de la Vigne's Miroir de la bonne mort], bf. Full title: La maniere de se bien preparer a la Mort par des Considerations sur la Cene, la Passion, et la Mort de Jesu-Christ, Avec de très-belles Estampes Emblematiques, Expliquées par Mr. de Chertablon, Piêtre & Licentié en Theologie. Vivere totâ vitâ discendum est; & quòd mage fortasse miraberis, tôtâ vitâ discendum est mori. Seneca de brevit. vitæ. Cap. VII. A Anvers, Chez George Gallet. M DCC, Avec Approbation. / David de La Vigne. Spiegel om wel te sterven, annwyzende met beeltenissen van het lyden onses zaligmaakers Jesu Christi. Verzierd met 42 fyne Geërste Kopere Platen, Door Romain de Hooghe; Te Amsterdam, Voor dezen gedrukt by J. Stigter. Size: 4to, 27.2 x 21.6 cm. Binding: Late 19th century brown calf over marbled boards, spine with gilt lettering, raised bands, double fillet blind panels in compartments; marbled end-papers; bookplate of Samuel Ashton Thompson Yates library, AD 1894. Book illustrated with 42 copperplate etched engravings by Romeyn de Hooghe (Dutch, Amsterdam 1645–1708 Haarlem). According to Bonhams: the plates were "first printed for David de la Vigne's Miroir de la bonne mort. Each of the plates depicts a man contemplating a religious image in order to ease the passing of death, accompanied by commentary and an appropriate verse of scripture for each plate. The present French edition is bound with, as issued, the Dutch translation of David de La Vigne's aforementioned work." -
Engraving by J.J. Balechou after E. Jeaurat. A husband and wife ask a quack doctor for advice about health: he suggests substituting himself for the husband in the wife's affections, and she agrees: Épigrammes de Jean-Baptiste Rousseau (French, 1671–1741).
Date: 1743.
Size: 380 x 270 mm
Inscriptions under the image:
Top: Peint par E. Jeaurat | L'Operateur Barri | Grave par Balechou 1743
Middle: Sur leurs santés un Bourgeois et sa femme
Interrogeoient l'Operateur Barri, Lequel leur dit : Pour vous guérir, Madame, Baume plus sûr n'est que votre Mari, Puis se tournant vers l'époux amaigri, Pour vous, dit il, femme vous est mortelle, Las ! dit alors l'Epoux à sa femelle, Puis qu'autrement ne pouvons nous guérir, Que faire donc ? Je n'en sçai rien, dit elle,Mais, par Saint Jean, je ne veux point mourir.
Rousseau Epig. X
Center bottom: a Paris chez Lepicie Graveur du Roi au coin de l'Abreuvoir du Quay des Orfevres. Et Chez L. Surugue Aussi Graveur du Roi rue des Noyers vis a vis le mur de St. Yves Avec Privilege du Roi. -
[François Marie Arouet de Voltaire]. La Pucelle d'Orléans, poëme, divisé en vingt chants, avec des notes. Nouvelle édition, corrigée, augmentée & collationnée sur le manuscript de l'auteur. – [Geneva: Gabriel Cramer], 1762.Illustrated book with 20 etchings and numerous woodcut vignettes.Illustrated by: Hubert-François Bourguignon, a.k.a. Gravelot (French, 1699–1773) Author: François Marie Arouet de Voltaire (French, 1694–1778) Printer: Gabriel Cramer (Swiss, 1723–1793)Pagination: [2 blanks, "Ex libris JCP" to recto] [2 - h.t., blank] [2 - t.p., blank], [i] ii-viii, [1] 2-358 [2 blanks]; 20 engraved plates, unsigned, one before every chant, by Gravelot (Hubert-François Bourguignon).Year of Publication: 1762Place of Publication: Geneva, SwitzerlandSize: 8vo, 19.8 x 12.6 x 3.7 cm.Binding: Full mottled calf, restored, flat spine, decorated in gilt, red labels with gilt lettering "Oeuvres de Voltaire; La Pucelle, tom XXII"; marbled endpapers and all margins.CATALOGUE RAISONNÉ: Cohen-de Ricci 1029.Mentions: MFA: ACCESSION NUMBER 25.701.Another copy in this collection: LIB-2580.2020. -
Engraved title-page: Contes | Moraux | Par | M. Marmontel, | de l'Academie Françoise. | A Paris | Chez J. Merlin Libraire, | Rue de la Harpe, | M DCC LXV ||Description: 3 volumes, 8vo, 20.4 x 13 cm, first issue, bound in the contemporary speckled calf, all edges gilt, spines gilt with double red/brown lettering labels (vol 1. labels missing); raised bands, gilt in compartments, double gilt-ruled borders; marbled endpapers. With the contemporary signature in each volume of Caroline Marlborough of Blenheim Palace, and bookplates of Lord F. A. Spencer. This is certainly Lady Caroline Russell, wife of George Spencer, Fourth Duke of Marlborough; she was daughter to the Duke of Bedford and was married in 1762. She died at Blenheim in 1811. The later bookplate in each volume pasted to the front pastedown of her son Francis Almeric Spencer (British, 1779-1845). Pagination: Vol. I: [two blank leaves] [half-title, verso blank] [recto blank, frontispiece on verso: portrait of Marmontel by St. Aubin after Cochin] [engraved t.p. by Duclos after Gravelot, verso blank], [i] ii-xvi, [table des contes with 5-line Errata (autograph Lordine Marlborough), verso blank], [1] 2–345 [346-50 blanks]; 9 plates after Gravelot by: Baquoy, de Longueil (2), Legrand, Leveau (2), Rousseau, Voyez, and unsigned (1). Vol. 2: [two blank leaves] [half-title, verso blank] [engraved t.p. by Duclos after Gravelot, verso blank] [table des contes with 10-line Errata (autograph Lordine Marlborough), verso blank], [1] 2–376 [377-50 blanks]; 9 plates after Gravelot by: de Longueil (5), Leveau (2), Pasquier and Rousseau. Vol. 3: [two blank leaves] [half-title, verso blank] [engraved t.p. by Duclos after Gravelot, verso blank] [table des contes with 9-line Errata, verso blank] [two leaves: approbation and Privilege du Roi] [1] 2–312 [313-16 blanks]; 5 plates after Gravelot by: de Longueil (2), Le Mire (2), and Pasquier. Catalogue raisonné: Cohen-De Ricci 686-7; Gordon N. Ray. The Art of the French Illustrated Book 1700 to 1914. — NY, London: The Pierpont Morgan Library; Cornell University Press, 1982, Vol. 1. pp. 44-5. [In their copy vol. 2 and 3 in a different order]; MFA ACCESSION NUMBER 37.1488a-c Illustrated by: Hubert François Gravelot (French, 1699–1773) Engraved by: Jean Charles Baquoy (French, 1721–1777) Engraved by: Antoine Jean Duclos (French, 1742–1795) Engraved by: Louis Legrand (French, 1723–1807) Engraved by: Noël Le Mire (French, 1724–1801) Engraved by: Jean Jacques André Le Veau (French, 1729–1785) Engraved by: Joseph de Longueil (French, 1730–1792) Engraved by: Jean Jacques Pasquier (French, died in 1785) Engraved by: Jean François Rousseau (French, born in 1740) Engraved by: Nicolas Joseph Voyez l'ainé (French, 1742–1806) Portrait(s) designed by: Charles-Nicolas Cochin le fils (French, 1715–1790) Engraved by: Augustin de Saint-Aubin (French, 1736–1807) Author: Jean-François Marmontel (French, 1723–1799) Publisher: Joseph Merlin (French, 1718–1783) Printer: Pierre-Alexandre Le Prieur (French, born in 1722) -
Hardcover volume, 8vo, 24.3 x 16.5 cm, bound in contemporary full marbled calf, spine with raised bands, gilt floral tools in compartments, gilt title lettering, marbled end-papers and all edges, printed on laid paper 23.9 x 5.5 cm with a watermark, entirely engraved (frontispiece, title, nine plates, and text), gatherings not indicated. Title-page (engraved, vignette, tall 's') LE | TEMPLE | DE | GNIDE | Nouvelle Edition, | Avec Figures | Gravées par N. LE MIRE, | des Acad. De Vienne en Autriche et de Rouen, | D’apres les Dessins de Ch. Eisen. | Le Texte Gravé par Droüet. | — | {3 lines quotation from Gallien} | A PARIS | Chez le Mire Graveur | Rue St. Etienne des Gres. | AVEC PRIVELEGE DU ROI. | 1772. || Frontispiece (engraved, vignette): Portrait medallion inscribed "CHARLES SECONDAT DE MONTESQUIEU — N. Le Mire del et sc", signed beneath "N. le Mire sculp 1771"; under the plate: "Dessiné par Ch. Eisen, et Gravé par N. le Mire." Pagination: frontispiece, t.p. / explication, dedication, [i] ii-vii [viii blank] 1-104 [105-6 blanks]; engraved throughout, plus 9 plates by Le Mire after Eisen.Catalogue Raisonné: Cohen-de Ricci 726-27; Ray, French Illustrated Book, №32/p. 61-2.Ref.: MFA (Boston): Accession Number 37.1726.Charles Eisen (French, 1720 – 1778) – artist. Noël Le Mire (French, 1724 – 1801) – engraver, publisher. Droüet (French, 18th century) – text engraver. Charles Louis de Secondat, Baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu (French, 1689 – 1755) – author. -
Les Aventures de Télémaque, fils d'Ulysse, Par feu Messire François de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon, Précepteur de Messeigneurs les Enfants de France, & depuis Archevêque - Duc de Chabray, Prince du Saint-Empire Romain, &c. / Nouvelle édition enrichie de figures en taille-douce. – À Maestricht, Chez J. E. Dufour & Ph. Roux, Imprimeurs-Libraires associés. M. DCC. LXXXII. Pagination: ffl, [i, ii - ht, explication] [2 - blank, frontis. portrait] [iii, iv - t.p., blank] [v - discours] vi-xxviii, [1] 2-484, bfl; 1 folding map and 24 plates engraved by Jean-Baptiste-Pierre Tardieu. Size: 8vo, 21 x 13 cm. Binding: full contemporary mottled calf, marbled end-papers, all margins red, raised bands, floral gilt elements in compartments, red title label, head- and tail-band absent. Point of issue: the vignette in Liv. 1 is upsidedown. Liv. 1 & 8 plates signed: Gravé par Tardieu résident à Malines. Jean Baptiste Pierre Tardieu (French, 1746 – 1816) - engraver and cartographer from a large family of artists and engravers. For English translation of this book see № LIB-2683-2021 in this collection. -
Herni Cohen. Guide de l'amateur de livres à gravures du XVIIIe siècle (6e édition) / Revue, corrigée et considérablement augmentée par Seymour de Ricci, préface par R. Portalis; 2 Volumes. – Paris: Librairie A. Rouquette, 1912. – Achevé d'Imprimer à Melun par Émile Legrand le 25 juin MDCCCCXII [1912]. Vol. 1, Première partie – ABAA-LUY: ffl [4 blanks] [2 - orig. grey front wrapper w/title, verso blank] [2 blanks] [2 - ht, tirage] [2 - blank, frontis. w/protect. sheet] [2 - blank, frontis. w/protect. sheet] (double frontis. - correct), [2 - t.p., blank] [i - avant-propos w/vignette] ii-vi, [vii - préface w/vignette] viii-xxvi; [1-2 - Tome 1, I] 2-668 (two numbers per page), [2 - fin, blank] [2 blanks] [2 - orig. grey back wrapper, recto blank] [orig. spine strip] [4 blanks] bfl. Vol. 2, Seconde partie – MAB-ZUR : ffl [4 blanks] [2 - orig. grey front wrapper w/title, verso blank] [2 blanks] [2 - ht, blank] [2 - t.p., blank] [2 - blank, frontis. w/protect. sheet] [2 - blank, frontis. w/protect. sheet] (double frontis. - correct), [1-2 - Tome II, 22] 671-1248 (two numbers per page), [2 - printer, blank] [2 blanks] [2 - orig. grey back wrapper, recto imprim.] [orig. spine strip] [4 blanks] bfl. Size: Super Royal 8vo, 26.2 x 17.2 x 5.1 cm. Binding: Contemporary blue half morocco over marbled boards, marbled end-papers, top margin gilt, gilt lettering to spine (title, owner: P. R.).; bookplate pasted to verso of the first blank leaf: " Ex Libris R. Decamps Scrive." – for bibliophile René Descamps-Scrive (French, 1853 –1924). Original wrappers preserved. Printed on Hollande paper, copy № 2 of the first 50; total print-run 1050 copies. Catalogue raisonné of French illustrated books of the 18th century. -
The portrait of Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466 – 1536), half-length, head to the right, body facing right, looking away, in a trompe-l'oeil octagonal frame. Inscriptions: Top right: Tom IV, pag. 686. Center of the image: DIDIER ERASME / Ne a Rotterdam en 1467, mort a Basle en 1536. Bottom of the plate: Holbein pinxit | Flipart Sculp. From the book Histoire générale des Provinces-Unies by Bénigne Dujardin (French, 1689 – 1771?) and Gottfried Sellius (real name Gottfried Sell) (1704? – 1767), published in 1757 in Paris by P. G. Simon. Volume 4, facing p. 686. Size: Sheet: 25 x 17.5 cm; Plate: 19.5 x 13.5 cm; Image: 18 x 12 cm. References: (1) Van Someren v.2, p.249, №1688; (2) https://archive.org/details/histoiregnra04duja/page/n714/mode/2up. Inscription above the plate: nut ink, hand, "231". -
Fables de La Fontaine / édition illustrée par J. J. Grandville (in 2 volumes). – Paris: H. Fournier Ainé, Perronin, 1838. Imp. H. Fournier et Ce, 14 rue de Seine (Premier Tirage). Vol 1: [2 - ht, imprim.] [2 - blank with handwritten inscription, frontis.] [2 - t.p., blank], [ [i] ii-xxviii - épitre, préface, [2 - plate 'fables', [1] 2 - dedication, [3, 4 - pltate: livre 1, blank] [5, 6 - plate: blank, cigale] [7] 8 - fab.1 (the subsequent plates are not paginated) - 292. (245-246 - Avertissement), (247-248 - A mamdam de Montespan); Wood engravings: frontispiece + half-title Fables + 7 running half-titles Livres des Fables + 72 plates. Vol. 2: [2 - ht, imprim.] [2 - t.p., blank] [1, 2 - plate 'livre 8', blank] [3] 4-312 (191-192 épilogue), (195-196 Au duc de Bourgogne), (268 - fin des fables), (269-296 Philemon et Baucis | D. O. M. | La Martone Déphèse | Belphegor), (297 -308 notice), (309-312 table); Wood engravings: 5 running half-titles Livres des Fables + 1 half-title Philemon et Baucis + 48 plates. Size: 8vo, 23.2 x 15 cm. Binding: Full tree-calf, flat spine stamped with gilt, red and brown labels with gilt lettering, marbled endpapers. Handwritten nut ink inscription to blank recto of frontispiece: the history of Millet-Fontaine family (provenance?) There were two print-runs in the year 1838. According to Léopold Carteret (Le trésor du bibliophile. Epoque romantique. 1801-1875 / Livres illustrés du XIXe siècle. – Paris: L. Carteret; imprim. Lahure, 1927, pp. 357-9), the first run (Premier Tirage) published by H. Fournier and Perrotin, while the Second Tirage by H. Fournier Ainé. Though, the initial cap character "N" at p. xiii (vie d'Ésope) in this copy is formed by 'faite de lignes bouclées' as in the first print-run, rather than by 'petits carreaux noirs et blances' as in the second. We can conclude with confidence that this copy belongs to Premier Tirage.
Wood engravings (135 plates, including frontispiece, and numerous headpieces and initial letters) were cut by the following artists (the first number is the number of the chapter ('livre'), the second – the number of the fable within the 'livre':
Wood engravers:
John Bastin, (British, fl. 1840 – 1850): 6-6, 7-13, and 8-9.
Alexandre Belhatte (French, born in 1811): 3-11 and chapter title pages to 'livres' 6, 11, 12, headpices on p. 117 in vol. 2, and 'Philemon et Baucis' section title page.
J. Constantine Beneworth (active France, 19th century): 1-6.
Louis-Henri Brévière (French, 1797 – 1869): 1-10, 2-7, 6-10, 6-21, 7-4, 8-10, 8-27, 9-3, 10-4, 12-11, frontispice, together with François-Louis Français (French, 1814–1897), and 'Fin des fables' tailpiece.
Brévière et Hébert: Louis-Henri Brévière (French, 1797 – 1869) and César-Auguste Hébert (French, active 19th century): 1-1, 1-2, 1-13, 1-18, 2-2, 2-11, 3-1, 3-3, 3-4, 3-18, 4-20, 4-21, 4-22, 5-5, 5-20, 6-2, 6-8, 7-3, 8-7, 8-12, 8-14, 8-17, 9-14, 10-6, 10-16, 11-6, 12-4, 12-25.
Joseph-Hippolyte-Jules Caqué (French, 1814 – 1885): 7-11 and headpieces on p. 251 in vol. 1 and on p. 197 in vol. 2.
Prosper-Adolphe-Léon Cherrier (French, born 1806): 8-6.
Henry Isidore Chevauchet (French, fl. 1837 – 1850): 1-19, 2-4, and 4-5.
Louis Dujardin (French, 1808 – 1859): 10-9.
Pierre-François Godard (French, 1768 – 1838): 1-5, 1-16, 5-2, and 10-11.
Charles David Laing (British, fl. 1836 – 1853): 7-9.
Lacoste père et fils aîné et Auguste-Alexandre Guillaumot (French, 1815 – 1892): 1-4, 1-20, 9-17, and 11-5.
Laisné (Alfred, Adèle, and Aglaé) (French, active 1835–1868): 5-8, 6-5, 6-17, 8-2, 8-15, 9-9, 9-10, 11-1, 11-8, 12-10.
(Alfred, Adèle, and Aglaé) Laisné (French, active 1835–1868): 5-8, 6-5, 6-17, 8-2, 8-15, 9-9, 9-10, 11-1, 11-8, 12-10.
Théodore Maurisset (French, fl. 1834 – 1859): 2-14 and 6-13.
Antoine-Alphée Piaud (French, 1813 – 1867): 1-17, 2-9, 2-16, 4-1, 4-4, 5-15, 5-17, 5-18, 5-21, 8-22, 8-23, 8-25, 9-19, 10-13, 11-3, 11-9, 12-13, 12-15, 12-21, three 'livres': 3, 9, 10, and headpiece on p. 71 in vol. 2.
Roux-Jourdain: Two 'livre' title pages, 1 and 2.
John Orrin Smith (British, 1799 – 1843): 2-13, 2-18, 3-9, 3-14, 4-9, and 4-14.L. Chauchefoin (French): 2-3 and 5.13.
Matthew Urlwin Sears (British, 1799 – 1870): 10-1 and 12-9.
Monogram TM or MT (possibly for Théodore Maurisset): 6-16 and 10-3.
Monogram GO–> (possibly for Godard) : 5-3, 7-1, and 9-5.
Monogram B and BV: 4-11, 12-6, 'livre' 4, and headpieces on p. 1 in vol. 1 and on p. 167 in vol. 2.
Unsigned or with an illegible signature: "fables' section title, 1-3, 1-9, 3-5, 3-8, 4-15, 4-18, 5-10, 7-7, 7-16, 9-2, 9-4, 12-2, 12-3, 12-17, and two 'livre' title pages, 5 and 8.
Little is know about Matthew Urlwin Sears. He was a wood engraver of good reputation who is known to have worked in London in the early 1820s, Paris and Leipzig. Listed as "wood engraver" on records of the UK Printing Historical Society. Work The British Museum owns three of his earliest published works, engravings for Northcote's Fables (1828). He authored "Specimen of stereotype ornaments, 1825" which was reprinted as a facsimile in 1990 by the Printing Historical Society (London), with a foreword by James Mosley. He is mentioned by Pierre Gusman in "La Gravure sur Bois en France" (Paris, 1929). Laurent's Histoire de l'Empereur Napoleon, (1839) is one of many publications on which both Sears and his partner John Quartly worked, as well as numerous other engravers. His work appeared in "Aunt Effie's Rhymes" (1852) and "Uncle Tom's Cabin", by Harriet Beech Stowe (Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black, 1853) [Claire-Juliette Beale, December 2009]. -
Pliny's Historia Naturalis. Engraved Title: C. PLINIUS S. Vande Menfchen, Beeften, Vogelen en Viffchen. [Pliny the Elder. Of Men, Beasts, Birds, and Fish]. Title: C. PLINII | SECUNDI | Des wijd-vermaerden Na- | tuur-kondigers vijf boecken handelende van de nature. | Handelende van de Nature | I. Vande Manfchen. | II. Vande viervoetige en kruypende Dieren. | III. Vande Vogelen. | IV. Vande kleyne Beeftjes of Ongedierten. | V. Vande Viffchen, Oefters, Kreeften, &c. | Hier zijn by ghevoeght / de Schriften | van verscheyden andere oude autheuren / de | natuer der dieren aengaende; | En nu in defen leften Druck wel het vierde part | vermeerdert , uyt verscheyden nieuwe Schrijvers | en eyghen ondervindinge : en met veel | kopere Plaeten verciert. {Device} | t' AMSTELREDAM , | By Iooft Hartgers, Boeck-verkooper op den Dam | bezijden het Stadthuys, 1650. Pagination: [1, 2] - engraved t.p. / blank, [3, 4] - text t.p. / Aen den nauw-keuringem Lefer..., 5-802, 52 engraved plates; colophon on p. 802 bottom: "Gedruckt by Chiftoffel Cunradus, ..." Collation: A-Z1-12, Aa-Kk1-12 Size: 12mo, 14 x 9 cm Binding: Vellum The first Dutch version, consisting of extracts from books 7-11 from Pliny's "Natural History" was published in Arnheim by Jans Janzen in quarto in 1610. Our copy is one of the Amsterdam editions and the only one in duodecimo. According to WorldCat, there is not a single copy of this edition in the US libraries. Printed by Christoffel Cunradus ( Freiberg , c. 1615 - Amsterdam , 1684) for publisher Joost Hartgers (Dutch, fl. 1650). See Gudger, E. W. "Pliny's Historia Naturalis. The Most Popular Natural History Ever Published." Isis 6, no. 3 (1924): 269-81. Accessed September 23, 2020. http://www.jstor.org/stable/224311. -
FABLES | DE FLORIAN | ILLUSTRÉES | PAR J.-J. GRANDVILLE , | SUIVIES | DE TOBIE ET RUTH , | Poëmes tirés de l'Ecriture Sainte | ET | PRECEDEES D'UNE NOTICE SUR LA VIE ET LES OUVRAGES DE FLORIAN , | PAR P.-J. STAHL. | [Vignette] PARIS. | J.-J. DUBOCHET ET Cie , ÉDITEURS , | 1842. Pagination: ffl, [2 blanks] [i, ii - ht/imp.] [2 - blank/engr. t.p. by Grandville] [iii, iv - t.p./blank] [v] vi-xx; 2 sheets of plates, [3] 4-292, bfl; engraved t.p. + [79] leaves of plates + 5 faux t.p. (total 85 plates) Size: In-8vo, 23.8 x 15 cm. Binding: Orig. blind-stamped navy cloth with gilt Grandville characters to boards and spine. First edition, first printing. Reference: Léopold Carteret (Le trésor du bibliophile. Epoque romantique. 1801-1875 / Livres illustrés du XIXe siècle. – Paris: L. Carteret; imprim. Lahure, 1927). Wood engravers: Adolphe Best (French, 1808 – 1860): 22 plates Louis-Henri Brévière (French, 1797 – 1869): 3 plates Brugnot (French, active 19th century): 7 plates Prosper-Adolphe-Léon Cherrier (French, born 1806): 6 + Tobie et Ruth + vignettes Louis Dujardin (French, 1808 – 1859): 2 plates Monogram GO–> (possibly for Godard) : 1 plate Halley-Hiback (French, 19th century): 1 + vignette Henri-Désiré Porret (French, 1800–1867): 2 + vignette Lacoste père et fils aîné et Auguste-Alexandre Guillaumot (French, 1815 – 1892): 5 plates Quichon (French, 19th century): 10 plates + Tobie et Ruth François Rouget (Belgian, born bef., 1825): 19 + vignette Unsigned or with an illegible signature: 6 plates
