Les Fables by La Fontaine illustrated with 723 engravings in the first edition.
The red morocco leather copy bearing the arms of the Duchess of Gn maramontramont.
La Fontaine. Selected Fables, put into verse by La Fontaine. New éedition copper-plate engraved, lthe Figures by M Sr Fessard, le Ttext by M r Montulay. Ddedicateds to the children of France.
Paris, at the author’s, 1765-1775.
6 volumes in-8. Collation conforms to Cohen. Red morocco, triple gilt framed panels, arms at the center, smooth spines decorated with small tools, gilt edging on the cuts, interior roulettes, gilt edges. Binding of the period.
197 x 121 mm.
First edition of one dof the most beautiful old editions of La Fontaine’s Fables.
Cohen, Guide for the Amateur of Books with Engravings of the XVIIIe century, col. 551 and 552.
It is adorned with 243 engravings, 243 vignettes, 226 tailpieces, 6 engraved titles, and 1 frontispiece by Bardin, Bidault, Caresme, Dessais, Houë, Kobell, Leclère, Leprince, Loutherbourg, Meyer et Monnet.
The text is entirely engraved by Montulay and Drouët.
“The Sr Fessard official engraver of the King’s Cabinet has undertaken to engrave the “Fables ofuFontaine” with engravings in 6 volumes in-8. He has delivered 5 volumes to the public, the sixth is about to La appear . It is customary to present a copy of each volume to the princes and princesses of the Royal family, he was compensated accordingly with a sum of six hundred livres from the royal treasury at the distributionof each of the first 5 volumes. He begs His Majesty to grant him the same sum of six hundred livres for the sixth and last volume he is about to present. And Louis XVI graciously agreed to grant the request and wrote the word “good” with his own hand.
””
Baron Roger Portalis, The Engravers of the XVIIIe century.
Precious copy of Béatrix de Choiseul-Stainville, Duchess of Gramont, “thehaughty and imperious” sister of the Duke of Choiseul, minister of Louis XV.
She died beheaded on April 17, 1794.
“Apart from prominent qualities that belong to History, her taste for art and her enlightened care in composing her beautiful library make her still a focus of attention for the curious and the learned.
The books of the Duchess of Gramont are simply bound, but with a certain elegance. They are especially noted for the exceptional quality of morocco whose color has resisted the incisive action of time. The care with which the body of work has been executed justifies the eagerness they receive from bibliophiles.
E. Quentin Bauchart, The Women Bibliophiles of France.
One of the great classic illustrated books of the XVIII century, very rare in contemporary armorial morocco.
