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Details
BÉRALDI, Henri (1849-1931). Propos de bibliophile. Gravure et lithographie. Reliure. Paris: L. Danel at Lille for the author, 31 December 1900-1901.
8o (195 x 128 mm). LIMITED EDITION OF 60 COPIES, this copy unnumbered. Wove paper. Vignettes by Paillard after Darbour. BOUND BY PéTRUS RUBAN FOR HIMSELF, stamp-signed on endpaper: maroon crushed half-morocco gilt, flat spine inlaid with red and beige morocco to a floral design, a large striking tool of a collapsing pile of books in the center of the spine, top-edges gilt, others uncut, original wrappers preserved (small defect to boards, very slightly rubbed). Provenance: the binder (ex-libris stamp, Paris sale 1910, lot 8), presumably a presentation copy from the author -- Raphael Esmerian (bookplate removed).
"Ruban (1851-1929) had a long struggle before being recognized as the excellent craftsman he was; of a somewhat eccentric disposition, he was appreciated by discerning bibliophiles such as Béraldi who reproduced several of his bindings in his book on the nineteenth century French binders" (BBB Wittockiana 47). In Propos (p. 181) Béraldi writes about this binder: "Ruban, très désireux d'arriver, vient de faire établir la dorure dans son atelier. Il est, lui aussi, pour le décor symétrique. Nous avons retenu de son exposition, entre autres reliures, un Antoine et Cléopâtre, avec mosaïque de style égyptien bien exécutée."
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"Ruban (1851-1929) had a long struggle before being recognized as the excellent craftsman he was; of a somewhat eccentric disposition, he was appreciated by discerning bibliophiles such as Béraldi who reproduced several of his bindings in his book on the nineteenth century French binders" (BBB Wittockiana 47). In Propos (p. 181) Béraldi writes about this binder: "Ruban, très désireux d'arriver, vient de faire établir la dorure dans son atelier. Il est, lui aussi, pour le décor symétrique. Nous avons retenu de son exposition, entre autres reliures, un Antoine et Cléopâtre, avec mosaïque de style égyptien bien exécutée."