Deroy

Best.-Nr. 006761 — Imp. Marie; Imprimerie Lemercier. Editeurs: Dutot; R. Lebrasseur;. Blindstamped Cloth. Very Good. N.d. circa 1860. Oblong 8vo 21 by 30 cm. 30 hand-colored plates of Paris and its surroundings. Basically two series of plates combined the first 24 drawn by Collette or Eichot and published by Imp. Marie with Dutot and R. Lebrasseur given as "editeurs" and the second group of six based on Deroy paintings and published by Lemercier. The collection of plates in this album were semi-standard with the binding itself and its title "Paris sous Napoleon III" being used for similar but not necessarily identical groups of plates. 30 plates in all was something of a standard number with some sets having a smaller number but obviouslly the binding is tailor-made for 30. Sets could be hand-colored or uncolored with colored plates the more desirable. It also appears quite common to combine plates from the Collette/Eichot series which are numbered 1 to 24 with Lemercier plates which are numbered but from the non-chronological numbering in this and other sets selected more randomly to reach a complement of 30. Plates are generally of the better known more magnificent sights in and around Paris with typically people horses coaches and other horse-drawn vehicles providing additional interest and perspective. Condition: some not all plates have darker age toning around the edges along with some foxing and thumb smudges. In our judgment half a dozen plates are marred by the soiling and/or ripples in the paper with the other plates clean or with non-disconcerting amounts of soil issues. The binding itself has some wear including rubbing some fading of the color and the like but remains more than passable and even attractive. Imp. Marie; Imprimerie Lemercier. Editeurs: Dutot; R. Lebrasseur; unknown