Méry

1849 · réf. 6294 — Paris & Leipzig: G. De Gonet & Chez Charles Twietmeyer 1849. First edition. Two parts in one quarto volume 11 x 7 3/8 inches; 280 x 187 mm. 4 xvi 252; 4 186 2 pp. With added hand-colored wood-engraved vignette title in each part hand-colored engraved portrait of Grandville by Ch. Geoffroy and twelve hand-colored engraved plates eleven in the first part one in the second part by Ch. Geoffroy after Grandville all with original tissue-guards. Handsomely bound by Charles Meunier stamp-signed in black on front turn-in "Ch. Meunier. 1905". Full blue morocco covers decoratively rued in gilt with gray morocco inlaid borders enclosing an elaborate design of inlaid gray cream and green inlaid flowers with decorative gilt stems. Spine with four raised bands decoratively inlaid in various colored morocco's decorated and lettered in gilt in compartments. Decorative gilt board-edges gilt ruled turn-ins with inlaid gay morocco borders gray-green marbled endpapers top edge trimmed others uncut. Original printed paper wrappers and spine bound in at end. Unidentified bookplate "Nec Tu Semper Eris" You will not always be on verso of front flyleaf. Housed in the original blue leather edged patterned paper board slipcase. A wonderful copy of this lovely book with exquisite plates after Grandville. This posthumously published work Grandville died on March 17 1847 was originally issued in fifty parts the first part appearing in September 1849. "The compositions of this 'last fairy-tale' brilliantly engraved on steel by Charles Geoffroy and delicately colored form a fitting memorial to Grandville.The pattern which he follows is similar to that of Les fleurs animées. Nearly every plate has its beautiful lady clad in white and adorned with stars looming in the sky with varied scenes of earthly life below her. These designs Grandville's tranquil refuge from the turmoil that beset his mind are as charming as they are mysterious. Also included in the volume are an unsigned essay which remains the most considerable source of biographical information about Grandville and a fine portrait of him by Geoffroy I xvi with a border of his creations animals paying him tribute as well as his flower- and star-ladies" Ray. The talented Charles Meunier 1865-1940 was first apprenticed to a book binder at the eleven years old. After training with Marius-Michel he began his own binder in 1885 where he sought to be innovative and nontraditional. ". Drawing on traditional and modern techniques and forms of decoration Meuniere mixed classical punches. with newly fashionable incised and modeled leather panels. His output was prodigious; by 1897 he had produced roughly six hundred bindings" Art Nouveau and Art Deco Bookbinding. Ray The Art of the French Illustrated Book 200. Vicaire V col. 770. Grandville. Dessins Originaux p. 398. G. De Gonet & Chez Charles Twietmeyer unknown books