Precious catalogue of typography in the 18the century
qui provides all the most elegant characters cast from the previous century until 1742.
Lamesle, Claude. General Proofs of Characters which are found at Claude Lamesle Type Founder of Characters of Printing.
In Paris, Rue Galande (in the middle) near Place Maubert, 1742.
Small quarto of (2) blank leaves, 1 red and black printed title leaf, 80 plates of specimens including 10 double-page mounted on tabs.
Mottled Havana calf, triple blind filet surrounding the boards, raised bands spine adorned with floral motifs and gilt fillets, red morocco title piece, gilt roulette on the cuts, red edges. Binding of the period.
219 x 160 mm.
Original edition of this precious work which “better presents than any other the production of character engravers in France in the last quarter of the 17the and the first half of the 18th” (Updike).
Audin, 27; Birrell and Garnett, 35; Bigmore and Wyman 1, p. 417; Cat. Berlin, 5394; F. Johnson, The Type Specimen of Claude Lamesle (1927); Jammes, Collection of type specimens , no.19; D.B. Updike, I, p. 270: “, n°19 ; D.B. Updike, I, p. 270 : « This book, both in type and ornaments, I think presents better than any other, the output of French foundries during the last quarter of the 17th and the first half of the 18th century. The collection of types is remarkably fine “.
Rare first edition of these proofs with a new issue published by Nicolas Gando in 1758.
Precious catalogue of typography in the 18th century that provides all the most elegant characters cast from the previous century until 1742.
« Lamesle had bought in 1737 the old foundry of Jean Cot which had characters by Garamont or his imitators, by Robert Granjon, by Jean Jannon which enjoyed wide distribution throughout Europe. In 1758, having sold his establishment, Lamesle left for Avignon where he created a new foundry. Among the characters offered in this volume is a “Cicero large eye ” by Robert Granjon which is recognized in Plantin’s inventories. One can also note the presence of another Cicero, called “La Police” which was used to print in 1705, the Treatise on the Police by Nicolas de La Mare. This character which had some characteristics of the “Romain du Roi” was engraved by Mathieu Malherbe Des Portes whose name appears in a handwritten document by Fournier le Jeune published by apr Mrs. Jeanne Veyrin-Forrer in La Lettre et le Texte ” (Jammes).
Lamesle, who took over the foundry of Jean Cot in 1737, thus came into possession of two characters engraved by Grangeon in the 16th century: the Cicero Large Œuf No. XXXIV and “Petit Parangon” No. LI. He also possessed the Romain du Roi from the Royal Printing House of which Jean Cot’s son had made a surreptitious copy.
The characters are accompanied by initials and numerous ornaments.
Lamesle also possessed Arabic, Hebrew, and other characters intended for printing music.
The work thus presents 72 writing character specimens and 12 of music.
The folding leaves are dedicated to large bodies and music. The title and engraved music are printed in red and black.
Beautiful copy preserved in a pretty contemporary binding, an exceptional condition for a work of this kind.
