Abrege de la vie des Plus Fameux Peintres: avec Leurs Portraits Graves en Taille - Douce, les Indications de Leurs Principaux Ouvrages, Quelques Reflexions sur Leurs Caracteres et la Maniere de Connoitre les Dessins des Grands Maitres; Premier Partie, Seconde Partie, and Supplement Troisieme Partie. (FIRST EDITION. THREE VOLUME SET, 1745-1752)
Paris: Chez de Bure l'Aine, 1745-1752. Illustrated. First Edition. Hardcover. FIRST EDITION. THREE VOLUME SET, 1745-1752. Written in French. Abrege de la vie des Plus Fameux Peintres: avec Leurs Portraits Graves en Taille - Douce, les Indications de Leurs Principaux Ouvrages, Quelques Reflexions sur Leurs Caracteres, et la Maniere de Connoitre les Dessins des Grands Maitres; Premier Partie, Seconde Partie, and Supplement Troisieme Partie. Par M. * * * de L'Academie Royale des Sciences de Montpellier. Hardcover. Professionally repaired and rebound, all three volumes are bound in quarter brown leather on brown cloth. Covers are plain except for a gilt vertical line at the leather/cloth seam. Hubbed leather spines bear five raised bands, bordered in gilt lining. Two hubs contain red, textured leather labels, adorned with gilt lettering. All edges bear a lovely dark red stain. Endpapers from rebinding are a textured cream. Textblocks are printed on laid paper. Each title page is lettered in red and black. Premier Partie [Volume I] contains a magnificent frontispiece engraving in black and white. All volumes are illustrated with black and white engravings of artist portraits and ornamentation throughout. Vol. 3, pub. Paris, 1752, has title: Supplement Abrege de la vie des plus fameux peintres. Includes indexes. Volume I: xlviii, 443 pp.; Volume II: viii, 483 pp.; Volume III: xviii, 322 pp. On the shelf, the length of this three volume set spans 4.75". New bindings bear light wear, yet are tight and beautiful. Leaves bear age toning, offsetting of engravings, an occasional tear and some dampstaining as expected, yet they are beautiful for their age. Ex-library stamp embossed on some pages occasionally throughout, with "withdrawn" stamped at the foot edge in black. All engravings are bold and crisp. Text is quite legible and uncompromised from the effects of age. Except for a notation in ink on the endpaper of Volume I, (presumed from the period), these copies are free from marginalia. A lovely set, at almost 300 years old.
Additional photographs available upon request. As this set is almost 10 lbs., additional shipping may be needed, and will be delivered with "adult signature required". Full refund if not satisfied. Very Good +.
10.25" x 8" x 1.25" and 1.5" (respectively).
Item #067721
Price: $650.00