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]. -
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]. -
A very thin kobushi-gata form iron tsuba decorated in openwork (sukashi), some openings filled with grey metal (silver or pewter) treated in a way to resemble cracked ice, ginkgo leaf to recto and plum blossoms to verso in low-relief (takabori) and gold inlay (zōgan), and unevenly folded over rim (hineri-mimi). The overall theme of the piece is linked to the icy ponds, falling ginkgo leaves and blossoming plums in the late winter.
Size: 84 x 80 mm, thickness (center): 2 mm.Signed: Yamashiro no kuni Fushimi no ju Kaneie [Kaneie of Fushimi in Yamashiro Province] [山城國伏見住金家], with Kaō.
Probably the work of Meijin-Shodai Kaneie (c. 1580 – 1600).
The silver or pewter inlays likely a later work that may be attributed to Goto Ichijo (1791 – 1876) or one of his apprentices in the late 19th century, possibly as a tribute to the great Kaneie masters. Here is an article by Steve Waszak dedicated to Kaneie masters and this tsuba in particular.Kaneie
For many tosogu aficionados, this name reigns supreme among all tsubako across Japanese history. The first Kaneie is celebrated for many things. He is recognized as being the first ever to bring pictorial landscape subjects to a canvas so small as that of a tsuba plate. His skill in being able to render classical Chinese landscape themes while working with a material as unyielding as steel, and to do so with the sensitivity he does, is nothing short of astounding. The quality of his workmanship — especially that of his exquisitely carved motif elements and the extraordinary deftness of his tsuchime (槌目 or 鎚目, hammer-blow) utilizing such thin plates — astonishes even to this day. His sensibilities concerning the shaping of his sword guards and the presentation of the rims were no less innovative than his subject matter. He was among the very first to regularly sign his name as a tsuba smith. And it is likely that he served the great warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the latter years of the 16th century. Despite the great fame and reputation of Kaneie, very little of the lives of the two men who are seen by most scholars as the “true Kaneie” tsubako of the Momoyama and earliest Edo Periods is known to us now. They were both smiths working in steel, with occasional added soft-metal inlay (usually serving to highlight features), and both made sword guards of the same style, using subject matter focused on landscapes, allusions to historical events, or religious themes. The first of these men is often referred to as “O-Shodai,” or Great First Generation, while the second is known as “Meijin-Shodai,” or Famous First Generation. While some see subsequent generations stemming from these first two men, others have the O-Shodai and the Meijin-Shodai as THE two true Kaneie and make a sharp distinction between these two smiths and any others who may share the name.The work of the O-Shodai may appear with two different mei. One of these is written “Joshu Fushimi Ju Kaneie,” while his work may also carry a mei reading “Yamashiro no Kuni Fushimi Ju Kaneie.” It is thought by some scholars that the earlier works present with the “Joshu” mei, while his later works feature the “Yamashiro” mei. However, there are only some five or six tsuba extant with the “Joshu” signature, so we should not necessarily see works with the “Yamashiro” signature as dating only to the latest years of his working life. The answers to the questions of exactly when Kaneie might have begun his life as a tsubako, or how old he was when he moved to sign his works with the “Yamashiro” mei, will probably remain shrouded in uncertainty.The association between Kaneie and Toyotomi Hideyoshi is speculative, to be sure, but the circumstantial evidence is tantalizing. The area of Fushimi is thought to have been an entirely unremarkable land prior to Hideyoshi’s building of a castle there, so it would seem unlikely that the first Kaneie would have been working in such a nondescript place, much less including the place name in his mei, before Hideyoshi’s putting it on the map, so to speak. Why emphasize such pride of place in one’s signature unless the place itself carries a certain weight? The name “Kaneie” translates roughly to “gold family,” which, given Hideyoshi’s notorious love of gold, would seem too much of a coincidence when combined with the explicit mention of Fushimi in the signatures. Combine this with the consideration of what is an equally compelling relationship between the celebrated tsubako Nobuie and Oda Nobunaga (“Nobuie” means roughly “of the family of “Nobu”), whom Hideyoshi served as a top general until Oda’s demise in 1582, and the circumstantial evidence becomes even harder to deny the plausibility of. Oda, ever the innovator, may have been the one responsible for birthing the practice of tsubako regularly signing their works. Having a superb smith like Nobuie affix the name to the tsuba as a regular practice establishes a sort of “brand name,” a brand coming with the seal of approval of Oda Nobunaga. It is more than possible that Nobunaga may have then used these valuable sword guards as rewards given to vassals and other important relations to honour them for their services to him, a practice that would have allowed Nobunaga to avoid having to use gold, guns, swords, horses, or land to do so. The awarding of a magnificent Nobuie tsuba to a deserving warrior, an appreciated ally, or a family member would bring honour to the recipient, of course, but would also honour the maker of the sword guard, and even the giver of the object. Such a way of thinking would be absolutely typical of him, and given that both Oda Nobunaga and Nobuie were men of Kiyosu in Owari in the early Momoyama Period, it does not strain credulity to imagine that the above dynamic could have occurred in just this way. If indeed it did, Toyotomi Hideyoshi is unlikely to have let this pass unnoticed. He may even have been so honoured himself! When he rose to power very shortly after Oda’s death, then, and when he reinforced and consolidated that power in the late 1580s and early 1590s, which included the building of the castle at Fushimi, perhaps he sought to emulate the Oda vision and practice of establishing a “royal tsubako.” If so, Kaneie would have been that smith.As noted, this scenario is speculative, and not a little romantic. This does not mean, however, that it is in fact not likely, for there would be a number of coincidences involved for it to be entirely false.Tsuba scholars will say that Kaneie’s skills in the making of his sword guards indicate an armour-making background. This is an interesting viewpoint, but one can’t help but wonder how many armourers were possessed of such fluent literacy in lyrical Chinese historical tales that they could then represent them as motifs on steel plates. Kaneie subjects often are in the form of Chinese landscapes and allusions, as noted, one of which — The Eight Views of the Xiao and the Xiang — was very well known as a famous subject of Chinese painting and poetry from the Song Dynasty. There exist Kaneie tsuba which depicts at least some of these “views,” and it seems unlikely that if one or more of them were to be created, not all of them would be, in a sort of “series.” The cultural and literary fluency Kaneie would seem to have had, then, may suggest a Buddhist background, and indeed, some of the subjects seen are explicitly Buddhist in nature. Perhaps his background then, somehow offering a dovetailing of metalwork and Buddhist teachings; in any event, we are all the richer for at least some of the works of Kaneie to have survived to reach us today.One of the hallmarks of Kaneie tsuba (real ones) is the extreme thinness of the plate, combined with utterly superb tsuchime expression of that plate. To be able to hammer the plate to achieve such strength of expression while the plate is so thin is seen by the Japanese as practically miraculous. A notable and important kantei point between the early masterpieces by the two “Shodai” Kaneie and the tsuba made by followers is this thinness of the plate. Another kantei point: because the plate is so thin when raised areas representing motif elements are present, they are inlaid into the plate, because trying to carve them from such a thin plate would be practically impossible: the likelihood of piercing the plate would be high, and the plate in that area, even if not pierced, would be significantly weakened by trying to manage the raising of a motif element from the plate. In real Kaneie works, then, one would expect any raised motif elements to be inlaid.Other highlights: the “Shodai” Kaneie are famous for the kobushi-gata (拳形) or “fist-shaped” design in their work, but despite this, there actually aren’t that many extant sword guards boasting this shape. Another feature for which the Kaneie are justly famous is their folding over of the lip of the rim onto the plate in a very tasteful manner, just here and there, rather than uniformly across the tsuba. However, again, this feature is actually not commonly seen, either. The combination, then, of a kobushi-gata shape with the rim folded over in just a few areas is that much rarer.Which brings us to the featured piece.Here is a Kaneie tsuba, a “Meijin-Shodai” Kaneie, which presents with a very thin plate, being between 1.5 and 2mm in thickness. The motif elements are inlaid, as we should expect. The sugata (姿, shape) is Kobushi-gata with the rim folded over in only a few places, representing a relatively infrequently encountered form, as stated. The tsuba here is fortunate not to have any added hitsu-ana, unlike many or most other Kaneie do. The sukashi elements are fascinating to consider, being difficult to determine the meaning of; however, the raised elements clearly point to a seasonal motif, with cherry and plum blossoms on the omote for Spring, and ginkgo on the ura for Fall. The inlaid metal in two of the openings — silver, shibuichi, or pewter, perhaps — is very likely a later addition, probably 19th-century, and more specifically, late-19th-century. The finishing on these inlaid portions has all the hallmarks of Goto Ichijo workmanship. Namely, the treatment of the surface of the inlay to resemble fallen snow (in the Japanese sense of things) is expressed in a very Ichijo sense of things, and, given the great importance of Kaneie tsuba, and the seasonal expression the motif of the guard has, it is plausible that the inlay is Ichijo work or that of one of his top students. In any event, this inlay complements the rest of the tsuba beautifully. The inlay also resembles the art of kintsugi (金継ぎ, golden joinery) or the Japanese practice of ceramic repair using lacquer when a piece is particularly special or important. In this way, a nod is given to Tea Culture, too, creating a wonderful blending of associations and allusions, typical of the highest Japanese aesthetic sense.At 8.4cm, the tsuba is of an excellent size and is in great condition (no rust, no deep rust pitting, no fire damage). There is, intriguingly, one small sign of battle damage at 6:00 on the guard: it would seem a sword blow cut into the tsuba at the rim, and penetrated slightly into the plate. The superb repair represented by a little stitch or two right at the rim and along a few millimetres of the plate is visible on very close inspection. The repair is old, probably nearly contemporary with when the tsuba was made. Given the high status of Kaneie in their lifetime (as tsubako for Hideyoshi, one might imagine their importance), and given the obvious high quality of this piece, it is not surprising that the finest repair efforts were put into its care.The name Kaneie justly enjoys its fame and accolades as pre-eminent among the tens of thousands of tsubako in Japanese history. We are fortunate indeed to have had a small number of the works of the early masters survive to this day. The first of their kind, and as most scholars and aficionados would wholeheartedly agree, the best of their kind, Kaneie sword guards remain among the very finest examples of the Japanese metal-working traditions. -
Half-title: AQUATINT ENGRAVING || Title: AQUATINT ENGRAVING | A CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY | OF BOOK ILLUSTRATION BY | S. T. PRIDEAUX | ILLUSTRATED BY AN ORIGINAL AQUATINT, TWO COLLOTYPE PLATES | AND NUMEROUS HALF-TONE PLATES | [Prideaux device] | LONDON | DUCKWORTH & CO. | 3 HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN, W.C. || Pagination: ffl, [i, ii] – h.t. / blank, [2] – blank / frontis. w/guard, [iii, iv] – t.p. / coloph. "First Published, December 1909", [v, vi] – dedication "TO MY FATHER" / blank, vii-xv [xvi], [1] 2-434, bfl, + 24 pl. (incl. port). Collation: [a]6 b8 A-Z8 2A-2C8 2D4 Binding: Original navy cloth, gilt-ruled and lettered front board, gilt lettering to spine, a blind device to back board; upper margin gilt, free margin untrimmed. Author: Sarah Prideaux. "Engravers and the books they illustrated": p. 388-405. "Publications by Ackermann with aquatint plates": p. 374-378. "Biographical notices of engravers whose names appear on the plates": p. 358-371. "Books published before 1830 with aquatint plates": p. 325-357. -
A footed double-gourd porcelain bottle with iron and gold coloured crackle on grey background. China, the Qianlong period (1711 – 1799) of the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1912). Diameter: 12 cm; Height: 21 cm. -
A two-volume set. Vol. 1:Title: LA | GERUSALEMME | LIBERATA | DI | TORQUATO TASSO | Tomo Primo | {vignette} | IN PARIGI | M.DCC.LXXI | Appreßo { Agostino Delalain. | Pietro Durand. | Gio: Claudio Molini. | Droüet ∫crip.
Pagination: ffl [1] 2-331 [332] bfl; illustrations after Gravelot: frontis. by Henriquez, t.p. vignette by Patas, engraved dedication by Le Roy, 10 head- and 7 tailpieces by Le Roy, 5 full-page vignettes by Le Roy, and 10 plates by: Baquoy, Duclos (3), Le Roy, Lingée, Née, Rousseau, and Simonet (2).
Collation: 8vo; A-V8 X6.
Vol. 2: Title: LA | GERUSALEMME | LIBERATA | DI | TORQUATO TASSO | Tomo Secondo | {vignette} | IN PARIGI | M.DCC.LXXI | Appreßo { Agostino Delalain. | Pietro Durand. | Gio: Claudio Molini. | Droüet ∫crip. Pagination: ffl [1] 2-340 bfl; illustrations after Gravelot: frontis. by Henriquez, t.p. vignette by Mesnil, 10 head- and 6 tailpieces by Le Roy, 4 full-page vignettes by Le Roy, tailpiece by Ponce, and 10 plates by: Duclos, Henriquez, Leveau, Lingée, Massard, Née, Patas, Ponce, Rousseau, and Simonet. Collation: 8vo; A-X8 Y2. Size: 21.5 x 14.5 cm. Size of the copy sold at Sotheby's in 2015: 23.3 x 14.0 cm; Christie's in 2008: 23.2 x 14.4 cm Page size: 21 x 13.5 cm. In referenced sources, the page size is bigger than that. N. Ray gives 11 ½ x 8 7⁄8 inches or 9 x 5½ inches. Cohen and De Ricci do not bother to give sizes, considering that octavo is octavo. MFA: 30.3 x 23.1 x 4 cm (11 15/16 x 9 1/8 x 1 9/16 in.) Binding: Two volumes uniformly bound in full marbled calf, ruled in gilt, flat spine with gilt decorations and monogram, cream lettered label. Geoffrey Lord Cross of Chelsea [Geoffrey Cross, Baron Cross of Chelsea] (British, 1904 – 1989) bookplate to front pastedown. Catalogue raisonné: N. Ray №22, p. 48; Cohen De Ricci 974-975 According to MFA printing by: François-Augustin Quillau (French, 1743–1804). This edition was illustrated by Hubert François Gravelot (French, 1699–1773) and engraved by the following engravers: Jean Charles Baquoy (French, 1721–1777) Antoine Jean Duclos (French, 1742–1795) Benoît Louis Henriquez (French, 1732–1806) Jean Jacques André Le Veau (French, 1729–1785) Charles Louis Lingée (French, 1748–1819) Jacques Le Roy (French, born in 1739) Jean Massard (1740–1822) Elie du Mesnil (French, born about 1728) François Denis Née (French, 1735–1818) Charles Emmanuel Jean Baptiste Patas (French, 1744–1802) Nicholas Ponce (French, 1746–1831) Jean François Rousseau (French, born in 1740) Jean Baptiste Simonet (French, 1742–1813) Droüet (French, 18th century) -
Publisher's brown cloth stamped in gilt, in a slipcase, 19 x 14 cm; pp.: [11] 1-657 [1] 1-12 [6]; in Japanese. With full English translation published in 1982 on letter-size writing paper in a separate folder, 29.5 x 23 cm, pp. [2] i-iii, 1-197, 1-52, 1-3. "Kinkō Meikan is a collection of photographs of signatures that appear on the tsuba and other fittings of the Japanese sword". -
Title: OXFORD EDITION | POPULAR STORIES | COLLECTED BY | THE BROTHERS GRIMM | A REPRINT OF THE FIRST ENGLISH EDITION | WITH TWENTY-TWO ILLUSTRATIONS | BY GEORGE CRUIKSHANK | {publisher’s device} | HENRY FROWDE | LONDON, EDINBURGH, GLASGOW | NEW YORK AND TORONTO | 1905 || Pagination: [i, ii] – frontis., [iii-iv]– t.p. / imprint. [v] – preface, vi-xvii [xviii blank], [2] [1] 2-403 [404], plates included in pagination, pp. 379-403 – notes. Collation: a8 b2 B-Z8 Aa-Cc8 Dd2. Binding:1 9 x 13 cm, olive green cloth blind-stamped in art nouveau style and lettered in gilt to cover and spine: GRIMMS’ POPULAR STORIES. Aubergine pencil inscription to front pastedown: C. Grant Robertson | All Souls | 1905: Provenance: Sir Charles Grant Robertson CVO (British, 1869 – 1948) who was a British academic historian, a Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, and Vice-chancellor of the University of Birmingham. -
![Н. Л. [Бутми де Кацман Георгий Васильевич]. Фран-масонство и государственная измена. Издание В. П. — СПб.: тип. газеты "Россiя", 1906. — 77 стр.](https://varshavskycollection.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/LIB-0940.2016-a-scaled-500x500.jpeg)
Cover and title page: Н. Л. | ФРАН-МАСОНСТВО | И | ГОСУДАРСТВЕННАЯ ИЗМѢНА. | Изданiе В. П. | С.-ПЕТЕРБУРГЪ | Типографиiя газеты «Россiя». Бассейная, 3. | 1906 г. || Pagination: [1-3] 4-77 [3]; collation: [1]8 2-58; 23 x 15.5 cm, in publisher’s lettered wrappers, library and bookstore stamps. A reprint of an article published in № 4 of the magazine "Море и его Жизнь", January 1905. Allegedly a translation and a brief exposition of La franc-maçonnerie et la Révolution française by Maurice Talmeyr [Marie-Justin-Maurice Coste] (French, – -
Binding: 25. 3 x 19.5 cm, light blue cloth, black labels with gilt lettering to cover and spine. Title: Dictionary of | Victorian | Wood Engravers | {fleuron} | Rodney K Engen | Chadwyck-Healey || Pagination: frontispiece; [i-iv] v-xxi [2] 3-297 [298]. Author’s signature dated 1987 to recto frontis. -
Cover: Ch. Virmaitre | LES | VIRTUOSES | DU | TROTTOIR | {publisher’s device} | PARIS | P. LEBIGRE-DUQUESNE, ÉDITEUR | 16, RUE HAUTEFEUILLE, 16 | 1868 || Title: Similar. Imprint: De Rouge Frères, Dunon et Fresné (Paris). Pagination: [1-7] 8-161 [162], [2] – table, [2] – advert., [14]; 90 leaves total; publisher’s cream wrappers with red lettering in double frame. Collation: 12mo in 6th; [1]-136, 1412. Charles Virmaître (French, 1835 – 1903). -
Title: BLANQUI | by | NEIL STEWART | [blank] | LONDON | VICTOR GOLLANCZ LTD | 1939 || Pagination: [1-7] 8-352. Binding: 20 x 13.5 cm; Red cardstock boards with black lettering, the front board: BLANQUI | by | NEIL STEWART | {BCL device} | LEFT BOOK CLUB EDITION | NOT FOR SALE TO THE PUBLIC ||; Spine with black lettering in the frame, sunned. -
Moustiers faience plate: tin-glazed earthenware plate with a scalloped rim, with green monochrome grotesque decoration of a whimsical creature and a female archer, surrounded by flowering vegetation and insects. Marked "X" on the bottom. "Joseph Fouque/Jean-Francois Pelloquin, started in 1749, used an"X" in its pottery mark". Diameter: 31 cm; Height: 4 cm. -
Vol. 1 : Title : LES | RUES DE PARIS | PARIS ANCIEN ET MODERNE | ORIGINES, HISTOIRE | MONUMENTS, COSTUMES, MŒURS, CHRONIQUES ET TRADITIONS | OUVRAGE | RÉDIGÉ PAR L’ÉLITE DE LA LITTÉRATURE CONTEMPORAINE | SOUS LA DIRECTION DE | LOUIS LURINE | et illustré de 300 dessins exécutés par les artistes les plus distingués | TOME PREMIER | { publisher’s device «G.K.» in vignette} | PARIS | G. KUGELMANN, ÉDITEUR, 25 RUE JACOB | 1844 || Pagination: [4] [1] 2-396 [4], total number of pages 404, plus 21 wood-engraved plates, incl. frontispiece, extraneous to collation. Collation: 4to; π2 [1]4 2-504, total number of leaves 202, plus 21 leaves of plates. Vol. 2: Title: Same, “TOME SECOND”. Pagination: [4] [1] 2-411 [412] [4], total number of pages 420, plus 22 wood engraved plates, incl. frontispiece, extraneous to collation. Collation: 4to; π2, 1-524, total number of leaves 210, plus 22 leaves of plates. Binding: 27 x 17 cm, two volumes uniformly bound by the publisher in brown cloth, blind-stamped frame and gilt design (corners, coat of arms of Paris, lettering) to boards and spine, yellow endpapers. CONTRIBUTORS: Printer: Alfred Wittersheim (French, 1825 – 1881) Publisher: Georges Kugelmann (French, 1809 – 1882) Editor/Compiler: Louis Lurine (French, 1816 – 1860) Texts by: Briffault, Eugène (French, 1799 – 1854); Janin, Jules Gabriel (French, 1804 – 1874); Huart, Louis Adrien (French, 1813 – 1865); Burette, Théodose (French, 1804 – 1847); Beauvoir, Roger de (French, 1806 – 1866); Brot, Charles Alphonse (French, 1807 – 1895); Le Roux de Lincy, Antoine (French, 1806 – 1869); Achard, Louis Amédée Eugène (French, 1814 – 1875). Illustrated book, profusely illustrated with over 300 woodcuts by: Artists: Daumier, Honoré (French, 1808 – 1879); Gavarni , Paul [Chevalier, Hippolyte Guillaume Sulpice] (French, 1804 – 1866); Nanteuil, Célestin François (French, 1813 – 1873); Baron, Henri (French, 1816 – 1885); Beaumont, Édouard de (French, 1821 – 1888); David, Jules (French, 1808 – 1892); Marckl, Louis (French, b. 1807); Schlesinger, Heinrich [Henri-Guillaume] (German-French, 1814 – 1893); Collignon, François Jules (French, d. 1850); Godefroy, Félix (French, 1765 – 1848); Lemercier, Charles Nicolas (French, 1797 – 1859); Loutrel, Victor Jean-Baptiste (French, 1821 – 1908); May, Edouard (French, c. 1807 – 1881); Moraine, Louis-Pierre René de (French, 1816 – 1864); Moynet, Jean Pierre (French, 1819 – 1876); Rossigneux, Charles (French, 1818 – 1907). Engravers: Bara, J. (French, b. c. 1812); Brugnot (French, fl.c. 1834 – 1873); Castan, André (French, 19th century); Budziłowicz, Ignacy (Polish-French, 1805 – 1863); Chevauchet (French, fl. 1837 – 1850); Pégard (French, 19th century); Czechowicz, A. (Polish-French, fl. 1840 – 1850); Debraine, T. Etienne (French, 19th century); Deschamps, M. (French, 19th century); Fauchery, Jean-Claude Auguste (French, 1798 – 1843); Ghouy, de (French, fl. mid-19th century); Montigneul, Émile (French, fl. 1840 – 1850); Joret, J. (French, 19th century); Fity, A. (French, 19th century); Guillaumot, Eugène (French, 1813 – 1869); Halley-Hiback (French, 19th century); Lacoste père et fils (French, fl. 1830s – 1860s); Lenepveu (French, 19th century); Lesestre, Jean Théophile Gustave (French, 1815 – 1873); Pannemaker, Adolphe François (Belgian-French, 1822 – 1900); Piaud, Antoine Alphée (French, 1813 – 1867); Pisan, Héliodore Joseph (French, 1822 – 1890); Pollet A. (French, 1840 – 1860); Pouget, Jean-Achille (French, fl. 1844 – 1877); Porret, Henri Désiré (French, 1800 – 1867); Pontenier, Auguste [Etienne, François] (French, 1820 – 1888); Rose, Alphonse Antoine (French, fl. 1840 – 1860); Timms, J. (English-French, fl. c. 1839 – 1865); Verdeil, Pierre (French, 1812 – 1874); Vien, Alphonse Jean-Baptiste (French, b. 1814). -
Vol. 1: Front cover and title page: LES CONTES | DE BOCCACE | ☙ DECAMERON ❧ | TRADUIT DE L'ITALIEN | PAR | ANTOINE LE MAÇON | LES CINQ | PREMIÈRES JOURNÉES | ILLUSTRATIONS DE | BRUNELLESCHI | {vignette} | GIBERT JEUNE | LIBRAIRIE D'AMATEURS | 61, BOULEVARD SAINT-MICHEL, 61 | PARIS || Pagination: [6] 1-342 [343-4] [10], 16 colour plates and 70 b/w head- and tailpieces after Umberto Brunelleschi. Vol. 2: Front cover and title page: LES CONTES | DE BOCCACE | ☙ DECAMERON ❧ | TRADUIT DE L'ITALIEN | PAR | ANTOINE LE MAÇON | LES CINQ | DERNIÈRES JOURNÉES | ILLUSTRATIONS DE | BRUNELLESCHI | {vignette} | GIBERT JEUNE | LIBRAIRIE D'AMATEURS | 61, BOULEVARD SAINT-MICHEL, 61 | PARIS || Pagination: [6] 1-281 [282] [10], 16 colour plates and 68 b/w head- and tailpieces after Umberto Brunelleschi. Edition: Limited to 2,500 copies, of which this is № 1. Edition supplemented with two full extra sets of plates, 32 in black and white, and 32 in colour. Printed on June 25, 1934. Binding: 26.5 x 20.5 cm; cream flapped wrappers (French softcover) with green and black lettering and vignettes to front cover and spine, publisher’s device on the back; uncut copy. Paper: Vélin de Navarre (wove paper), size: 260 x 200 mm. Contributors: Giovanni Boccaccio (Italian, 1313 – 1375) – author. Antoine Le Maçon (French, c. 1500 – 1559) – translator. Umberto Brunelleschi (Italian, 1879 – 1949) – artist. Malexis, Louis (French, 20 century) – mise en page. Coulouma, Robert (French, 1887 – 1976), Imprimerie Coulouma (Argenteuil) – printer, H. Barthélemy – director. Dantan, A. – engraver (probably from the family of Edouard Joseph Dantan (French, 1848 – 1897) Charpentier, E. – colour au pochoir. Compare this copy with a small one-volume reprint of 1941: [LIB-2773.2021]. Description of the stensil (au pochoir) technique. -
Collation: Prelims (pp.1-6): Blank leaf, front wrapper (ornamental, gilt and colour): LA NUIT VENITIENNE | FANTASIO | LES CAPRICES DE | MARIANNE | ALFRED DE MUSSET ||, blank leaf, [2] – h.t.: LA | NUIT VENITIENNE ||, [2] – t.p. (ornamental frame, marigold and reseda green): ALFRED DE MUSSET | LA NUIT | VENITIENNE | FANTASIA | LES CAPRICES | DE MARIANNE | ILLUSTRATIONS | DE | U. BRUNELLESCHI | L’EDITION D’ART H.PIAZZA | PARIS ||, [2] – ornamental divisional title: LA NUIT VENITIENNE ||, 7-138 [139/40] – contents / list of ills., [141-2] – limitation / colophon, blank leaf, back wrapper, blank leaf; plus 20 stencil-coloured (au pochoir) plates after gouaches by Umberto Brunelleschi, incl. frontispiece with red-lettered tissue guards; two more divisional titles, three headpieces in black; text printed on heavy wove paper, in an ornamental frame. Edition: 1st; limited to 500 copies on laid paper (papier du Japon) signed by the artist; this copy on wove paper without signatures, without limitation. Printed in Paris on the 10th of November 1913. Binding: 30 x 24 cm, owner’s green bead-grain buckram with a gilt-lettered black label to spine LA NUIT | VENITIENNE, publisher’s wrappers bound in, green and gilt endpapers. Alfred de Musset (French, 1810 – 1857) – author. Umberto Brunelleschi (Italian, 1879 – 1949) – artist. L’Edition d’art H. Piazza; Henri Jules Piazza (Italian, 1861 – 1929) – publisher, printer. -
Title-page (red and black): RESTIF DE LA BRETONNE | LES | FAIBLESSES | D'UNE | JOLIE FEMME | ILLUSTRATIONS EN COULEURS | DE | RAOUL SERRES | {VIGNETTE} | EDMOND VAIREL, ÉDITEUR | PARIS || Description: 25.8 x 17 cm, French flapped wrappers lettered in red and black “LES | FAIBLESSES | D'UNE | JOLIE FEMME” in a 26 x 18 cm tan cloth double slipcase, [1-14] 15-175 [176] [8], collated in-8vo, with 25 colour in-text woodcut vignettes and two tailpieces at the end of each chapter, by Gérard Angiolini after watercolours by Raoul Serres. Published: April 18, 1951, in Paris. Edition: 1st thus, limited edition of 1,025 copies, of which this is № 904 of a common print run on Vélin de Rives paper (numbered 101-1,000). Contributors: Nicolas Restif de la Bretonne [Nicolas-Edme Rétif] (French, 1734 – 1806) – author. Raoul Serres [Schem] (French, 1881 – 1971) – artist. Gérard Angiolini (French, fl. 1946 – 1957) – engraver. Imprimerie Coulouma (Argenteuil), Robert Coulouma (French, 1887-1976) – printer. Edmond Vairel (French, 18… – 19...) – publisher, colourist. -
Title-page: LA | CORRECTIONNELLE | PETITES CAUSES CÉLÈBRES | ÉTUDES DE MŒURS POPULAIRES | Au Dix-Neuvième Siècle | ACCOMPAGNÉES DE CENT DESSINS | PAR GAVARNI | {woodcut vignette} | PARIS | Chez Martinon, rue du Coq-Saint-Honoré, 4 | 1840 || Collation: 2o, π3 (t.p. (wrapper?), h.t., t.p.), 1-1012; 205 leaves total, of them 100 plates, lithographs by Gavarni. Pagination: [6] [1] 2-403 [404], 410 pages total, incl. ils. (BnF calls for 426 pages total). Note: plate № 8 is numbered 9, plate № 9 numbered 8; p. 266 numbered 264, p. 268 numbered 266, p. 362 numbered 374, p. 364 numbered 376 (as called for by Carteret). Binding: “Romantique” publisher's quarter calf with gilt lettering and design elements over red paper boards, marbled endpapers. Complete 100 issues of the 4-page “La Correctionnelle” with a woodcut vignette after Gavarni on the 1st page of each issue, published between December 1839 and December 1840, and collected under one cover in 1840 by Martinon. Catalogue raisonné: Carteret (Le trésor, 1927): pp. 177-8; Brivois (1883): p.112. Both authors marked the edition as «rare in good condition". Gavarni [Sulpice Guillaume Chevalier] (French, 1804 – 1866) – artist. Amedée Gratiot et Cie. – printer, text. Coulon et Cie.– printer, lithographs. Coulon, Barthélémy Henry (French, fl. 1839 – ?) -
One of 64 wood engravings by Robert Dill after Joseph Kuhn-Régnier (French, 1873 – 1940), stencil-coloured (au pochoir technique) by Ateliers Jacomet in Paris for the 4-volume edition of Littré’s “Œuvres complètes d'Hippocrate” by Javal & Bourdeaux in 1932-34. The edition was limited to 2,335 numbered copies, 2,000 of them on Vélin teinté du Marais paper., numbered from 336 to 2,335. Contributors: Joseph Kuhn-Régnier (French, 1873 – 1940) – artist. Robert Dill – engraver. Atelier Jacomet (Paris); Daniel Jacomet (French, 1894 – 1966) – printer. Les éditions Javal & Bourdeaux (Paris) – publisher. Émile Littré (French, 1801 – 1881) – translator/ editor. Hippocrates (Greek, c. 460 – c. 370 BC) – author.
