Gavarni; Méry - Perles et Parures – Édition originale de luxe

Superb bibliophilic ensemble from the mid-19th century, bringing together the two volumes of Pearls and Ornaments, illustrated after the designs of Gavarni, with texts by Méry and Count Félix. First edition published in Paris by G. de Gonet, in its remarkable luxury presentation with colored engravings and lace-cut paper borders finely perforated in lacework. This edition is distinguished by the finesse of its illustrations, the richness of costumes, jewelry, precious stones and fashion accessories represented, as well as by its delicate lacy borders, particularly decorative and sought after by lovers of romantic illustrated books. Composition of the set: * 2 bound volumes. * The Jewels: 316 pages of text. * The Ornaments: 300 pages of text. * Total: 616 pages. * 31 plates interleaved, engraved after Gavarni, colored and adorned with lace-cut borders. * 2 identical frontispieces. * In total: 33 illustrations. The 31 plates have been counted individually: they all feature different subjects, with no duplicates observed. Bindings: Two elegant antique half-black leather bindings, with marbled paper boards, spines adorned with gold motifs and red title pieces bearing the inscriptions Gavarni – The Jewels and Gavarni – The Ornaments. Both bindings are in generally good condition for their age, with some rubbing and signs of use, particularly on the spines, corners and borders. The whole shows a pleasing uniformity and retains its decorative character. Interior state: The volume The Ornaments shows fairly marked foxing, sometimes substantial and spread over many pages. They do not prevent reading of the text. The volume The Jewels also shows foxing, visible at various places throughout the work and spread across the volume. The colored engravings overall present a beautiful appearance and constitute the main appeal of this copy. One plate shows a particular defect: part of its lace border is missing, with tearing of the pierced paper. This defect is localized and should be taken into account when assessing the conservation state. The other lace borders generally show good preservation, considering their delicacy and fragility. Bibliographical peculiarity: The two volumes show an unusual distribution of texts, title pages and illustrations. The bound volume under the title The Ornaments contains 18 lace plates, while the bound volume under the title The Jewels contains 13. The tables of contents and the texts also show an apparent inversion relative to the binding titles or title pages. The total of 31 different plates and two frontispieces corresponds to the overall composition described for this edition. However, as the individual collation of subjects with a reference copy has not been definitively established, absolute bibliographic completion is not guaranteed. Bibliophilic interest: A particularly tempting romantic edition, combining Gavarni’s art, the history of fashion and jewelry, colored engraving and the remarkable work of lace-cut borders. The union of the two volumes in this presentation forms an interesting set for collectors of 19th-century illustrated books, fashion engravings, and fine old books. Photographs are an integral part of the description and allow appreciation of the bindings, illustrations and noted defects.

Estimate:$167.74

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