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JEAN DE LA FONTAINE — CONTES DE LA FONTAINEPARIS, JOUAUST, 1885ONE OF ONLY 20 COPIES ON PAPIER DE CHINEETCHINGS IN TWO STATESSIGNED FULL MOROCCO BINDING BY RAMAGE
LA FONTAINE, Jean de. Contes de La Fontaine.
Paris: Damase Jouaust, Librairie des Bibliophiles, 1885.
Tome Premier only. Volume II is not present.
With a preface by Paul Lacroix (“Bibliophile Jacob”), illustrations after Édouard de Beaumont, engraved by Émile Boilvin.
A particularly luxurious example of Jouaust\'s celebrated late nineteenth-century bibliophile publishing: one of only 20 copies printed on papier de Chine, with the etchings in two states, finely bound in full crimson morocco by Ramage of London.
ONE OF ONLY 20 COPIES ON CHINE
The grand-paper issue was limited to just 220 copies:
- 170 on Hollande
- 20 on Whatman
- 20 on Chine
- 10 on Japon
The present volume belongs to the exceptionally restricted Chine issue.
The limitation is printed in the volume itself.
Copies on Chine were supplied with the illustrations in two states, and the present volume contains five subjects represented twice, for a total of ten plate impressions.
This places the copy well above the ordinary issue and the much more numerous Hollande-paper issue.
THE RAMAGE BINDING
Finely bound in full crimson crushed morocco by Ramage of London, signed on the turn-in:
BOUND BY RAMAGE
The binding is especially handsome, with elaborate gilt work inspired by the traditions of eighteenth-century French bookbinding.
Features include:
- full crimson crushed morocco
- elaborate gilt floral and pointillé borders
- multiple gilt fillets
- five raised spine bands
- richly gilt spine compartments
- gilt spine lettering
- broad gilt inner dentelles
- marbled endpapers
- top edge gilt
- remaining edges apparently untrimmed
- Tome I gilt on the spine
- signed Ramage turn-in
The deep red morocco and dense gilt decoration give the volume exceptional shelf and display presence.
JOHN RAMAGE
John Ramage was one of the distinguished British bookbinders of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
After training in Paris, including work associated with the celebrated binder Lortic, Ramage established his own bindery in Britain and became known for finely executed full-morocco bindings in historicizing French and English styles.
His work is especially associated with richly gilt bindings produced for collectors and the antiquarian book trade.
THE ILLUSTRATIONS
The edition is illustrated after designs by Édouard de Beaumont, engraved in etching by Émile Boilvin.
This first volume contains five subjects, each appearing in two states, for a total of ten impressions.
The duplicate-state illustrations are a defining feature of the deluxe Chine-paper issue.
Beaumont\'s elegant historical scenes are particularly well suited to the witty, theatrical and frequently libertine character of La Fontaine\'s Contes.
THE EDITION
The Bibliothèque nationale de France records this 1885 Jouaust edition as a two-volume publication illustrated by Beaumont and engraved by Boilvin. BnF Catalogue
The complete work comprises two volumes; only Tome Premier is offered here.
Volume I contains:
xxxix, 204 pages
with the preface by Paul Lacroix and the first portion of the tales.
LA FONTAINE\'S CONTES
La Fontaine\'s Contes et nouvelles en vers occupy a rather different world from his celebrated Fables.
Frequently witty, satirical, romantic and risqué, the stories draw upon earlier French and Italian narrative traditions and became an important part of seventeenth-century French literary culture.
Their combination of elegance and libertine humor made them especially popular subjects for later illustrated bibliophile editions.
CONDITION
Very Good overall.
The Ramage binding remains firm, bright and highly attractive.
The crimson morocco retains strong color, and the elaborate gilt decoration remains crisp and brilliant.
Age-appropriate external wear includes:
- light rubbing at the spine ends
- rubbing along portions of the joints
- light wear over the raised bands
- minor rubbing to corners and board edges
- scattered small surface marks
- slight wear to gilt lettering or tooling in places
The joints and hinges remain sound.
The broad inner dentelles and marbled endpapers remain attractive.
Internally generally clean and well preserved, with occasional light foxing, toning and minor age-related marks.
The papier de Chine and duplicate-state etchings remain attractive.
Please examine all photographs carefully for binding condition, paper, illustrations, limitation statement and binder\'s signature.
IMPORTANT
TOME PREMIER ONLY.
The original edition was issued in two volumes.
Volume II is not present.
DETAILS
Author: Jean de La Fontaine
Title: Contes de La Fontaine
Publisher: Damase Jouaust, Librairie des Bibliophiles
Place: Paris
Date: 1885
Volume: Tome Premier only
Pagination: xxxix, 204 pp.
Language: French
Preface: Paul Lacroix
Illustrator: Édouard de Beaumont
Etcher: Émile Boilvin
Paper: Papier de Chine
Limitation: One of only 20 copies on Chine
Illustrations: Five subjects in two states; ten impressions
Binder: Ramage of London
Binding: Full crimson crushed morocco, signed
Edges: Top edge gilt; others apparently untrimmed
A striking conjunction of French bibliophile printing and English fine binding: one of only twenty Chine-paper copies of Jouaust\'s Contes, with duplicate-state etchings, in an elaborate signed Ramage morocco binding.
Tome Premier only; Volume II is not present.
