Se vend à Paris, chez l’Auteur, 1772.
12mo [158 x 91 mm] of (3) ll., 4 plates of royal portraits, 170 plates of riders numbered 169, 1 plate with the names of colours and metals, (2) ll. of table.
Red morocco, triple gilt fillet around the covers, spine ribbed and decorated, inner border, gilt edges. Contemporary binding.
First edition entirely watercoloured at the time.
“Hand-colored engraved title page; two-page engraved “Avertissment”; 170 numbered plates, with no. 140 appearing twice, and 5 unnumbered engraved plates, all hand-colored; 2 engraved leaves of table of contents.
Fine and complete copy of an important plate book on French military uniforms “a very beautiful suite, quite-rare complete” (Colas).
The plates by the French engraver Littret de Montigny, depict soldiers and cavalrymen from different units of the French military during the reign of Louis XV, each wearing his standard uniform surrounded by his unit’s colors, and each with an engraved caption giving the date of the unit’s establishment and describing its uniform and colors. In addition there are four unnumbered royal portrait plates of Louis XV, Louis Dauphin, Louis Stanislas and Charles Philippe.” Cohen 735; Colas 2137; Lipperheide (1965) Qk13.
« Cet ouvrage est utile & bien exécuté. On peut pas son secours distinguer les uniformes des différents régiments. L’auteur y a joint des notes instructives & a fait représenter par les figures les mouvements de l’exercice, de l’escrime & de l’équitation ». (Mercure de France, 1772).
“Very beautiful and rare complete suite, it also exists uncoloured. Montigny is the pseudonym of the engraver C. A Littret”. (Colas, Bibliographie générale du Costume et de la mode).
A precious copy bound in contemporary red morocco presenting all the military uniforms of France in the eighteenth century: « à commencer par la Maison du Roi jusqu’à la dernière compagnie tant Infanterie que Cavalerie, Troupes légères, Dragons, Hussards et Légions ; les Drapeaux, Etendards et Guidons de chaque Régiment avec la date de leur création… L’Auteur de cet ouvrage désirant le rendre utile et agréable y a joint l’exercice, un extrait de l’escrime et les principaux mouvements Caprioles et Allures du cheval. »
A label affixed to the title gives the price of the various copies available from the author, in white, coloured and in wrappers, coloured and in calf or bound in golden morocco.
A rare and precious book: a modest copy, in a nineteenth century binding by Chambolle-Duru has been sold for $17,500 on 25 October 2019 by Christie’s New York (n°148).
Very beautiful copy from the library of Doctor Bernard with ex libris and from the Lardanchet bookshop, bound in elegant contemporary red morocco.
