Details
LA FONTAINE, Jean de (1621-1695). Fables Choisies mises en vers. Paris: for the engraver, 1765-1775.
6 volumes, 8° (210 x 126mm). Engraved text and illustrations including allegorical frontispiece, title to the work, titles to each volume, 243 engraved plates, numerous engraved vignettes by Fessard after Bardin, Bidault, Caresme, Desrais, Houël, Kobell, Leclérc, Leprince, Loutherbourg, Meyer and Monnet, the text engraved by Montulay and Drouët. (Lacking one leaf of Table in vol. I, another leaf of Table in vol. VI with outer margin reinforced, plate of 'La Fille' in vol. IV neatly repaired at blank outer margin.) Contemporary French marbled vellum, covers with a random overall pattern in blue and red (spines slightly soiled). Provenance: P. Litt (signatures dated January 1816).
A lavishly engraved edition in an unusual binding. The work was published by Fessard on a subscription basis: Rochambeau (p. 39) describes the original prospectus. The edition was originally to be issued in four volumes only, either on 'papier de Hollande' at 12 livres per volume, or on 'papier de France' at 9 livres for each volume. Once the subscription had closed, the complete set was to be priced at 60 livres on Dutch paper, or 48 livres on French paper. The present copy is one of the more expensive, on Dutch paper. Due to lack of subscribers, the edition took far longer to produce than had been anticipated, and was eventually published in six volumes: Reynaud records that this was so that the smaller size would be more convenient for "les personnes qui sont bien aise [sic] en se promenant à la campagne". Plate counts for the edition vary: the present copy tallies with Cohen-de Ricci 551; however, Reynaud 281 requires 244 plates, and Rochambeau 101 requires 245, although this probably includes the frontispiece. (6)
6 volumes, 8° (210 x 126mm). Engraved text and illustrations including allegorical frontispiece, title to the work, titles to each volume, 243 engraved plates, numerous engraved vignettes by Fessard after Bardin, Bidault, Caresme, Desrais, Houël, Kobell, Leclérc, Leprince, Loutherbourg, Meyer and Monnet, the text engraved by Montulay and Drouët. (Lacking one leaf of Table in vol. I, another leaf of Table in vol. VI with outer margin reinforced, plate of 'La Fille' in vol. IV neatly repaired at blank outer margin.) Contemporary French marbled vellum, covers with a random overall pattern in blue and red (spines slightly soiled). Provenance: P. Litt (signatures dated January 1816).
A lavishly engraved edition in an unusual binding. The work was published by Fessard on a subscription basis: Rochambeau (p. 39) describes the original prospectus. The edition was originally to be issued in four volumes only, either on 'papier de Hollande' at 12 livres per volume, or on 'papier de France' at 9 livres for each volume. Once the subscription had closed, the complete set was to be priced at 60 livres on Dutch paper, or 48 livres on French paper. The present copy is one of the more expensive, on Dutch paper. Due to lack of subscribers, the edition took far longer to produce than had been anticipated, and was eventually published in six volumes: Reynaud records that this was so that the smaller size would be more convenient for "les personnes qui sont bien aise [sic] en se promenant à la campagne". Plate counts for the edition vary: the present copy tallies with Cohen-de Ricci 551; however, Reynaud 281 requires 244 plates, and Rochambeau 101 requires 245, although this probably includes the frontispiece. (6)