Horatius, Poemata, [Geneva], Estienne, [1574], Parisian red morocco richly gilt for Jacques-Auguste de Thou

HORATIUS FLACCUS, QUINTUS. Quinti Horatii Flacci poemata, novis scholiis et argumentis ab Henrico Stephano illustrata. [Geneva]: Henri II Estienne, [1574]

This volume was bound for Jacques-Auguste de Thou (1553-1617) before his first marriage in 1587, as it feature's his bachelor's arms on the cover. The presence of tools found on other bindings indicates that this volume was bound by the Atelier au Coeur Empanaché.

8vo (173 x 107 mm). Roman and italic type. Collation: ¶⁸ a-h⁸ i⁴ A-H⁸ I⁴ aa-gg⁸ a⁸ b⁴: 212 leaves. Title-page with woodcut device, engraved portrait of Horace to verso of ¶8.

Binding: Parisian armorial binding (182 x 118 mm), ca 1580, by the Atelier au Coeur Empanaché for Jacques-Auguste de Thou, red morocco richly gold tooled à la fanfare, gilt fillets around sides, interlacing strapwork forming central oval and geometrical compartments, interstices and compartments filled with leafy branches, spiralling tendrils, small azured tools and dots, central oval contains De Thou's arms as a bachelor, flat spine gold tooled carrying over the cover design, horizontal title "HORATIVS" on a narrow band near the top, vellum endleaf and pastedown enclosing 4 paper endleaves at beginning and end, gilt edges 

Provenance: Jacques-Auguste de Thou (1553-1617, before his first marriage in 1587), inherited by — Jacques-Auguste II de Thou (1609-1677), Catalogus bibliothecae Thuanae (Paris, 1680), p.276 ("Q. Horatius… cum scholiis & argumentis Henr. Steph. 8°. apud Henr. Steph.") — Antoine-Augustin Renouard (1765-1853), name and inventory number "No. 2396." on verso of upper vellum flyleaf — R.H. Evans, Catalogue of...the library of Monsieur Renouard, London, 23-30 June 1834, lot 652, bought for £5 10s by — Edward Clive Herbert, 2nd Earl Powis (1785-1848), inscription "1834 Clive" on verso of upper vellum flyleaf, by descent to — George Herbert, 4th Earl Powis (1862-1952), his sale, Sotheby's, 20-22 March 1923, lot 128, bought for £138 by — W.W. Sabin, London — Jean Fürstenberg (1890-1982), ex libris, Exposition de reliures de la Renaissance: collection Jean Furstenberg: 30 September 1961 (Paris 1961), no. 60 — Martin Breslauer, Catalogue 108 (New York, 1985), item 15. Acquisition: Purchased in 1989 from Martin Breslauer Inc., New York. References: GLN 2553; USTC 450695