Les Etoiles.
GRANDVILLE, J.J. Les Etoiles. By Joseph Mery. [4], xvi, 252 pp.; [4], 186, [2] pp. With 15 hand-colored engravings. 8vo., 255 x 176 mm, bound in the original publisher's wrappers, in a new blue half moocco folding box. Paris: G. de Gonet, [1849].
A fine copy of this charming work, Grandville's last book of illustrations, preserved as issued in the original illustrated wrappers.. It actually consists of two parts, each having its own title-page, but the parts are always found together. There are fifteen steel engravings by Grandville, all with delicate original hand-coloring. Despite occasional foxing, the impressions are extremely clean--an unusual state for French books of this type from this period.
"The compositions of the `last fairy-tale,' brilliantly engraved on steel by Charles Geoffroy and delicately colored, form a fitting memorial to Grandville. They show that his powers remained unimpaired to the end of his short career" (Ray). Despite damage to the fragile original spine, this is a wonderful fresh copy, with just insignificant foxing to a couple of pages. Extremely rare in the original wrappers.
Ray 200.
Item nr. 167581
Price:
$5,750.00