Monstrelet, Le premier (-tiers) volume des croniques, Paris, 1512, sixteenth-century calf gilt
Estimate
4,000 - 6,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
MONSTRELET, ENGUERRAND DE. Le premier (-tiers) volume des croniques. Paris: Jean Petit & Michel Le Noir, 4 December 1512
THIRD EDITIONS IN A SIXTEENTH-CENTURY BINDING, WITH INTRIGUING OBSCURED ANNOTATIONS.
This copy features a number of early marginal annotations from before the book was rebound around the 1550s, including some which are pasted over. One of these, on T4 of the third work, references "Charles conte de charoloys, hōme cruel", and duc de Bourgonyne", likely referring to Charles V, Duke of Burgundy from 1506 to 1555 and Count of Charolais from 1530 to 1558.
It has been suggested that these volumes once formed part of the library of Cardinal Perrenot de Granvelle, because of the gold lettering in majuscules running down the fore-edge, found on a number of his books. However, the tools on the binding do not match those found on other Granvelle bindings, and the volumes lack other indicators of this ownership, such as later Boisot provenance.
3 volumes in two, small folio (261 x 191 mm). Gothic type, two columns, 44 lines plus headline. collation: (1) ã8 a-z6 &6 2a-2t6 2v4 2x-2y6; (2) A8 B-Z6 &6 2A-2D6 2E4 2F6; (3) ã8 B-X6 AA-NN6: 282 + 180 + 212 leaves. Large zoomorphic woodcut initials on title-pages, woodcut illustration of the author on verso of second and third title-pages, a number of full-page woodcuts, printer's device to final versos, woodcut initials, a number of annotations in an early hand (some trimmed and two with paper pasted over). (A few occasional small stains, quire v of the first volume becoming detached, some light marginal dampstaining to second and third volumes, 30 mm tear to lower margin of H1 of third volume, not affecting text, small stain to O6, P1 and 2D1 of third volume, slightly affecting text.)
binding: Brown calf (267 x 202 mm), French or Flemish, rebound c. 1550, blind fillet around sides, 2 concentric frames of triple blind fillets, gilt flower at outer angles, in centre 4 smaller fleurons forming a cross, spine with 4 bands, small gilt fleuron in compartments, longitudinal fore-edge author name painted in gold and tail-edge title in ink, traces of 2 pairs of green silk ties, edges stained yellow. (Old restorations to spine ends, hinges and corners, joints cracking, leather delaminating, upper endleaf of second volume remargined.)
provenance: Early marginal annotations throughout, including 2 pasted over on B1 of second volume and T4 of third—"1803-19 Feb. Pf A3 tres volume", inscription to upper pastedown—faint stamp to first title-page—slip from French sale largely obliterated. acquisition: Purchased in 2000 from Bernard Quaritch, London. references: BP16 102063; USTC 1022
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