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ALMANACH ROYAL ANNÉE BISSEXTILE.
(Paris: De l'Imp. de Testu, successeur de la veuve d'Houry, 1792). 208 x 125 mm. (8 1/4 x 5"). 680 pp., [1] leaf.
HANDSOME CONTEMPORARY RED MOROCCO, RICHLY GILT, covers with ribbon roll border at head and foot, central panel stamped with a graceful botanical frame, central supralibros with the initials "L B" within a laurel-draped shield surmounted by a laurel coronet, gilt-rolled turn-ins, all edges gilt. With a folding map of France printed on blue paper bound before title page. Front pastedown with book label of Jean Furstenberg. For the binding plaque, see Rahir, "Livres dans de riches reliures" 184k. Extremities lightly rubbed, isolated small spots of foxing, but A FINE COPY, clean and fresh internally with a perfectly preserved map, in a lustrous binding showing almost no wear.
Published the same year that King Louis XVI was overthrown, this volume is a valuable record of the early years of the French Revolution, offered here in an attractive contemporary binding decorated with a gilt plaque attributed to the Dubuisson atelier. Issued yearly beginning in 1700, the "Almanach Royal" served as a repository of information about the French government and institutions, including exhaustive lists of electors and administrators serving every type of committee, department, and bureau, as well as registers of hospitals, the locations of post-boxes, fairs throughout the year, a calendar, a list of kings and queens of Europe, and more. The present volume reflects some of the earliest and most important changes generated by the Revolution: one obvious sign was in the title, as ours was the final volume published as "Almanach Royal" (the following year, after the downfall of the monarchy, the title changed to "Almanach National de France"). Also, this edition includes a copy of the French Constitution passed in 1791, as well as a section on the National Assembly, which was created in 1789. The splendid binding here was not decorated with individual gilt tools, but rather stamped with a single plate or "plaque," resulting in a densely gilt border which could be customized with a central monogram or coat of arms. Rahir groups the present design with 11 other distinct plaques used from the mid-18th century, all of which are found on almanacs. Although just one in this group of bindings is actually signed by Dubuisson, Rahir concludes that many (possibly all?) of these examples can be attributed to this atelier. They were probably the creation of the workshop's two most prominent members, René Dubuisson and his son, Pierre-Paul (fl. 1742-62), the latter of whom became binder to the king after Padeloup. The plaques continued to be in use even after father and son ceased working--a testament to their enduring beauty and popularity. The present item was once owned by the great collector Jean (or Hans) Fürstenberg (1890-1982), who put together one of the finest collections of 18th century books ever assembled. In 1974 the Fürstenberg collection was sold en bloc to Dr. Otto Schäfer, whose marvelous library had already become distinguished for its fine and historic bindings. (ST20461-1)
Price: $2,800.00