Vélin

Vélin — marelibri

(ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM - MODERN). MAUPASSANT, GUY DE VICTOR-NICOLAS BOUTON, Scribe and IlluminatorABAA

TRIBUNAUX RUSTIQUES

1896réf. ST17129-026Paris 1896. 200 x 135 mm. 7 7/8 x 5 3/8". 11 leaves. Single column 16 lines plus headline in a thin graceful italic script. Attractive red crushed morocco by Marcellin Lortic stamp-signed on front doublure covers framed by multiple-rule gilt strapwork raised bands spine compartments with gilt French fillet gilt titling vellum doublures with gilt frame in the Romantic style leather hinges vellum endleaves all edges gilt. In matching morocco-trimmed slipcase. Title in burnished gold embellished with red and blue penwork text with red-ruled border and burnished gold stars at corners numerous one-line burnished gold initials with red or blue penwork two-line opening initial in burnished gold on a blue white and pink background and A HALF-PAGE MINIATURE measuring 71 x 64 mm. SHOWING A COURTROOM SCENE. Front free endleaf with morocco bookplate of Robert Hoe. ◆Just the slightest hint of rubbing to joints but A VERY FINE SPECIMEN entirely fresh bright and clean inside and out. This elegant little manuscript in French recounts Guy de Maupassant's satirical tale of a trial in the provinces; it was created by a man who knew the inside of a courtroom all too well. Bouton 1819-1901 was a young rebel during the 1848 Revolution who spent five years in jail for his participation in a bombing in Paris. Oddly enough the dedicated republican was also an expert on heraldry and paleography publishing pamphlets on those subjects as well as on politics and producing manuscripts like the present one. De Maupassant 1850-1893 is generally acknowledged as one of the great masters of the short story. In the present tale a wealthy older woman who had tried to buy a young peasant's love by giving him land sues unsuccessfully for the return of her property when the object of her affection forsakes her for a younger woman. According to Beverly Chew the library of Robert Hoe 1839-1911 founding member and first president of the Grolier Club was "the finest America has ever contained." Hoe acquired illuminated manuscripts early printing he owned a Gutenberg Bible on paper and one on vellum fine bindings French and English literature and Americana and when his library was sold in 1911-12 it fetched nearly $2 million a record that held until the Streeter sale more than 50 years later. Hoe owned several Bouton manuscripts of de Maupassant stories and the Morgan Library also has Bouton creations. The Lortic name was made famous in the history of French binding by Pierre Marcellin Lortic 1822-92 a leading Parisian binder for 40 years; the binder here was Lortic's son Marcellin or "Lortic Fils" 1852-1928. unknown books