“ The most beautiful work that had then appeared in this genre. ” (Michaud).
Original edition – one of the copies from the luxury printingon large Holland paper –
bound en half-red morocco of the period.
Paris, 1780-1784.
La Chau, Abbé Géraud de and Gaspard Michel, known as Abbé Le Blond. Description of the main engraved stones in the cabinet of H.S.H. Monsieur the Duke of Orléans […].
Paris, by M. l’Abbé de La Chau, M. l’Abbé Le Blond, and at Pissot, 1780-1784.
2 folio volumes of: I/ 1 frontispiece, (16) ff., 303 pp and 102 plates numbered 97 (3 pl. 35, 3 pl. 39, 2 pl. 78) ; II/ (2) ff., v pp., (1) f., 215 pp., (5) pp., and 77 plates numbered 76.
Half long-grain red morocco, golden roulette around the boards, smooth spines decorated with gilt fillets and patterns, untrimmed. Binding of the period.
350 x 214 mm.
Original edition and luxury copy of the first printing, one of the few printed on large Holland paper noted by Brunet.
Cohen 543, Brunet, III, 727.
“ Lachau (Abbé Geraud de), librarian, interpreter secretary and custodian of the Duke of Orléans’s engraved stones cabinet, published with Abbé Leblond, his friend, the second volume of the Description of the main engraved stones of the Duke of Orléans’s cabinet, Paris, 1784, small folio; Abbé Arnaud is the author of the first volume of this work, the most beautiful that had yet appeared in this genre. There are copies on large Holland paper. ” (Michaud).
All the stones described in this work, acquired in 1741 and later sold to Catherine II, are illustrated with a plate and accompanied by learned explanations with numerous references to ancient texts.
“ In any case, superb frontispiece by Cochin, engraved by Saint-Aubin, containing the portrait of the Duke of Orléans; 1 ornament, the same for both titles, by Saint-Aubin; 2 very pretty vignettes, at the head of the 1st volume and the 2nd drawn by Cochin and A. de Saint-Aubin, engraved by Saint-Aubin; 179 stones engraved by Saint-Aubin, though unsigned, and 55 tailpieces, most of which are of great beauty (46 in the 1st volume and 9 in the 2nd) all drawn and engraved by Saint-Aubin, except for the last in the 1st volume, engraved by Mrs. E. de Sabran.
The engraved stones are numbered from 1 to 97 in the first volume; Nos. 35 and 39 have three plates and No. 78 has two, and from 1 to 76 for the second, No. 2 having two plates.” (Cohen)
Seven spintriae medal plates containing 37 subjects, drawn and engraved by Saint-Aubin were then printed and added to certain copies. Consequently, Cohen mentions that “ it is to be noted that very few of the copies in old bindings originally contained the spintriae plates spintriae ”.
“ A superb copy bound in red morocco by Derome, assembled by Le Blond, one of the authors, printed on choice paper, composed of first edition proofs and containing 3 discovered plates and several spintriae tailpieces, sold for 3,100 F. Or (a book of bibliophilia was then negotiated starting at 5 F. Or), Beckford sale (I, No. 2464), is now with Mr. Henri Béraldi. ” (Cohen).
Precious copy belonging to the luxury printing on large Holland paper preserved in its beautiful period half-red morocco binding.
