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PRIERES DE LA MESSE.
([Paris: ca. 1720]). 163 x 100 mm. (6 3/8 x 3 7/8"). [51] leaves.
LOVELY LATE 19TH CENTURY TAN PEBBLE-GRAIN MOROCCO, GILT, by L. Curmer (stamp-signed in gilt on front turn-in), covers with a very pretty lacy border composed of several gilt rules and repeating gilt floral tools, center with two gilt coats of arms topped with a crown, raised bands, compartments with gilt double-rule border, scrolling designs, and central floral motif, densely gilt turn-ins, ivory watered silk pastedowns and endleaves, all edges gilt. Running titles and one-line initials in red, section titles in combinations of red, gold, and/or blue, 29 two-line initials in blue on burnished gold ground (but see below) and framed in red and gold, NINE THREE-LINE INITIALS in blue with white tracery on burnished gold ground with decorative tiling pattern defined in red and framed in red and gold, each page with thin red and gold frame, TWO LEAVES WITH A FULL DECORATIVE BORDER composed of burnished gold frames with decorative tiling in red, scrolling shapes in pink or blue with white tracery, lobed tapestries with white tracery, and garlands and cornucopias of roses (one of these frames enclosing titling at top with lower half left blank, the other enclosing blank space), NINE DECORATIVE CARTOUCHES with similar but more restrained decoration, each taking up about a third of the page and one with a rough watercolor sketch inside (the others blank), AND 11 BURNISHED GOLD TAILPIECES, measuring up to a half-page tall, each decorated differently with blue or pink frames, rose garlands, lobed tapestries, tassels, and, on the final tailpiece, a small bird in flight surrounded by red rays. Front free endpaper with ex-libris of "DC" (Dominique Courvoisier); first leaf with 19th century manuscript dedication by a professional hand, noting the marriage of August Vernin and Marie Desticker on 29 August 1899. See: Roger Portalis, "Nicolas Jarry et la calligraphie au XVIIe siècle,"' in Bulletin du Bibliophile (1897), pp. 423-30. ◆About half of the 29 the plain blue initials with some chipping (four of these completely or almost completely lost), some of the larger initials with a little chipping, otherwise the manuscript in very fine condition--the burnished gold intact and sparkling, the paint very fresh, the paper clean and bright--and IN A BEAUTIFUL BINDING showing no signs of wear.
This is a lovely little volume featuring a typically beautiful small-format calligraphic manuscript of Jean-Pierre Rousselet, a renowned calligrapher and painter whose patrons included Louis XIV and the Richelieu family. Every aspect of this work is a study in precision, from the meticulous roman lettering (which could be mistaken for letterpress), to the exquisite blue initials on glittering gold grounds, and especially to the delicate embellishments incorporated into the cartouches. Portalis praises Rousselet's calligraphy as well as his artistic talents, calling him "an excellent draughtsman" whose "works are remarkable for the richness of their ornamentation." A close follower of the preeminent 17th century calligrapher Nicolas Jarry (1620-70), Rousselet (ca. 1677-1736) did not sign this manuscript (and Portalis does not include this item among his list of 24 known manuscripts in his article on Rousselet), but there are a sufficient number of specimens of Rousselet's work to allow for a definitive comparison. (Other examples of Rousselet's work can be found at the Bibliothèque Nationale, the Morgan Library, the Getty, and many other honored locations.) It is interesting to note that the present work seems to have been left in the midst of production: the frame facing the first leaf of text, where one would expect to find a full-page miniature, is left blank, as are most of the headpiece cartouches. One exception is the first headpiece, which has been roughly sketched and partially painted, but is obviously not complete. Portalis records another very similar example in his census, noting in its description: "This book is curious because it shows Rousselet's method of decoration, several of the miniatures not being finished." It is quite possible that Rousselet produced our copy "on spec," to be filled in later with the buyer's preferred decorative program; or perhaps the original patron simply ran out of money during production. Whatever the case may be, this unfinished manuscript provides fascinating insight into Rousselet's techniques and methods of work. Although there is no evidence of who the original owners may have been, we do know that in 1899 it was put into a very pretty gilt binding and given as a gift to a pair of newlyweds. (ST17593)
Price: $15,000.00