LA CHAU - LE BLOND Description des principales pierres gravées du cabinet de S.A.S Monsieur le duc d’Orléans […].

First edition and deluxe copy from the first issue, one of very few printed on large Holland paper, as noted by Brunet.

Cohen 543, Brunet, III, 727.

“Lachau (Abbé Géraud de), librarian, interpreter-secretary, and keeper of the Duke of Orléans’ cabinet of engraved stones, published with his friend Abbé Le Blond the second volume of the Description des principales pierres gravées du cabinet du duc d’Orléans, Paris, 1784, small folio; Abbé Arnaud is the author of the first volume of this work, the finest of its kind published to date. There are copies on large Holland paper.” (Michaud)

All stones described in this work, acquired in 1741 and later sold to Catherine II, are illustrated with a plate and accompanied by scholarly explanations with numerous references to ancient texts.

“In any case, a superb frontispiece by Cochin, engraved by Saint-Aubin, featuring a portrait of the Duke of Orléans; 1 fleuron, the same on both title pages, by Saint-Aubin; 2 very lovely vignettes at the beginning of volumes I and II, drawn by Cochin and A. de Saint-Aubin, engraved by Saint-Aubin; 179 engraved stones by Saint-Aubin, although unsigned, and 55 tailpieces, most of great beauty (46 in vol. I and 9 in vol. II), all drawn and engraved by Saint-Aubin, except the last in vol. I, engraved by Mme E. de Sabran.

The engraved stones are numbered 1 to 97 in the first volume; nos. 35 and 39 have three plates and no. 78 has two, and from 1 to 76 in the second, with no. 2 having two plates.” (Cohen)

Seven plates of spintrian medals containing 37 subjects, drawn and engraved by Saint-Aubin, were later pulled and added to some copies. Consequently, Cohen notes: “it should be observed that very few copies in old bindings originally included the spintrian plates.”

“A superb copy bound in red morocco by Derome, assembled by Le Blond, one of the authors, printed on choice paper, made up of earliest state proofs and containing 3 uncovered plates and several spintrian tailpieces, sold for 3,100 gold francs (a bibliophilic book then traded for around 5 gold francs), Beckford sale (I, no. 2464), is today in the collection of M. Henri Béraldi.” (Cohen)

A precious copy from the deluxe issue on large Holland paper, preserved in its beautiful contemporary red half-morocco binding.