Longus

1890 · ref. ST20732 — Paris: H. Launette et Cie 1890. No. 196 of 1000 copies and 100 Large Paper Copies with the etchings in multiple states. 255 x 165 mm. 10 x 6 1/2". 3 p.l. viii 190 pp. 3 leaves.Translated into French by Jacques Amyot. LOVELY DARK BLUE MOROCCO GILT BY CAPTAIN GLADSTONE stamp-signed C. E. G. on front dentelle covers divided into multiple compartments that at center a lobed mandorla all of the compartments densely gilt the inner compartments with swirls of leafy branches on a dotted background the others diapered by diagonal gilt fillets into lozenge-shaped compartments containing a single gilt dot smooth spine covered with leafy branches gilt lettering wide inner dentelles with sprays of leafy branches green silk pastedowns and endleaves top edge gilt imperceptible repair at top of spine. With 12 full-page etchings and 29 in-text illustrations by Champollion after the designs of Raphaël Collin. Ray "French" p. 377. Spine just faintly sunned though difficult to see with all its gilt occasional very minor foxing otherwise a fine copy clean and fresh internally with vast margins in a well-preserved binding bright with gilt. A unique combination of decadence and sweet innocence Longus' charming pastoral novel appears here with a series of engravings that were considered to be some of the most attractive of the period and in an impressive binding that emphasizes its pastoral setting and that has an origin clouded with mystery. Ray says that in a survey conducted in 1895 our "Daphnis et Chloé" with the Collin engravings came in fourth in a poll to determine the 10 most successful modern French illustrated books. Our edition uses the popular translation of Jacques Amyot 1513-93 first printed in 1559 and always recognized for its graceful style. Naval Commander Charles Elsden Gladstone 1855-1919 or "Captain Gladstone" as he is commonly called was an English bookbinder of great technical skill working in the late 19th Century but no one seems to know how or by whom he was trained. We know he had many hobbies including microscopy and optical magic lanterns per family accounts suggesting a curious mind and attention to detail both useful in bookbinding. Although testimony from the period indicates that Gladstone personally bound his books there are no known contemporaneous i.e. 1880-1910 exhibitions or auction records of the sale of any of his bindings and no information exists about his being an apprentice. Since the degree of complexity and beauty of his bindings--clearly in evidence here--is extraordinary one wonders if he did in fact personally bind the books. Yes he could have been a self-taught genius binding for his own pleasure but it is not inconceivable that he commissioned someone like Alfred de Sauty as finisher requiring that his own initials always be placed on the dentelles. Regardless of their origin Captain Gladstone bindings are exquisitely crafted filled with lovely all-over gilt-tooled work and characterized by innovative design features. Whoever produced them they are among the best to be found in England around the turn of the century. H. Launette et Cie unknown books