LA FONTAINE Jean de (1621-1695) - OUDRY Jean-Baptiste (1686-1755)

Lot 102
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20000 - 25000 EUR
LA FONTAINE Jean de (1621-1695) - OUDRY Jean-Baptiste (1686-1755)
Fables choisies, mises en vers Paris, Desaint & Saillant, Durand, 1755-1759. 4 volumes in-folio (500 x 350 mm). Full speckled fawn calf, triple gilt fillet on the boards, spine ribbed with gilt irons and fleurons (grenade), green morocco title-pieces, double gilt fillet on the edges, gilt edges, marbled paper end-papers (period binding). One of the copies on large Hollande paper of this great classic of 18th century bibliophily, in its second printing (the plate CLXXII illustrating Le Singe et le Léopard, volume III, p.113, includes the legend on the banner). This magnificent edition is illustrated with a portrait-frontispiece finished in burin by Dupuis and engraved by Cochin, the portrait of Oudry engraved by Tardieu after Largillière (often missing because added), and 275 hors-texte plates engraved by Chedel, Cochin, Aubert, Aveline, Baquoy, etc. after drawings by Jean-Baptiste Oudry. COLLATION Volume I: [1] f. (false-title)-[2] ff. (engraved frontispiece and portrait)-[1] f. (title)- xvii and xviii (table of fables)-xxx (dedication, warning, life of La Fontaine), xvj pp. (dedication, preface, life of Aesop)-124 pp.-70 plates. Special feature here: the two ff. of the table of fables have been bound before the dedication, not after the life of Aesop. Volume II: [2] ff. (false-title and title)-ij (table of fables)- 135 pp.-68 plates. Volume III: [2] ff. (false title and title), iv pp. (warning, table of fables), 146 pp. 68 plates. Volume IV: [2] ff. (false title and title), ij pp. (table of fables), 188 pp, 69 plates. A rare copy on large Hollande paper. PROVENANCE Library of Arsieu de Galard de Béarn, Marquis de Brassac, Counts of Béarn (autograph signature in ink on first volume: "Arsieu de Béarn"); private collection. REFERENCE Cohen, 548-550. (Vol. I: very slight spotting (not very much), unaffected, condition of binding as usual, spine brittle; Vol. II: scattered freckles, some pages browned, slight loss of paper at lower corners of 3 ff. not affected, binding in used condition, spine damaged; Volume III: some spotting and browning, slight marginal tears to three leaves not affected, binding in used condition; Volume IV: some spotting and browning of pages, binding in used condition; some old restorations.)
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