81 French costumes from the 13th to the 18th century.
Precious copy of which all the plates have been magnificently hand-colored and illuminated at the time.
Bévy, Abbé Charles-Joseph de. History of the inaugurations of kings, emperors, and other sovereigns of the universe; from their origin to the present. Followed by a précis of the state of Arts & Sciences under each reign: of the main events, manners, customs & most remarkable usages of the French, from Pepin to Louis XVI.
Paris, Moutard, Queen’s Bookseller, 1776.
In-8 of xvi pp., 559 pp., (5) pp., 14 full-page plates out of text. Bound in full porphyry calf of the period, triple gilt fillet around the boards, spine with raised bands adorned with gilt floral motifs, green morocco title piece, gilt fillet on the edges, gilt edges. Binding of the period.
195 x 123 mm.
Original edition published on the occasion of the coronation ceremonies of Louis XVI.
Sander 138; Saffroy, I, 15227; Barbier, II, 755; Brunet, VI, 1310; Lipperheide 2479.
“Born in Saint-Hilaire near Orleans, on November 4, 1738, Charles-Joseph Bévy, Benedictine of the congregation of Saint-Maur and the house of Saint-Denis, had reached his thirty-eighth year, when he published a work entitled: ‘History of the inaugurations of kings, emperors and other sovereigns of the universe’ with engravings, in-8. This book, to which the recent coronation of Louis XVI gave contextual interest, brought to the author the benevolent attention of the Count of Saint-Germain.“
The work was noted and earned the Benedictine dom Bévy (1738-1830), the position of historiographer of France for Flanders and Hainaut.
“14 figures comprising 81 costumes, drawn by Michel Rieg, engraved by Ingouf and Trière.” (Cohen, 145).
“These 14 plates represent approximately 80 French costumes from the 13th to the 18th century.” (Colas, I, 320).
Sumptuous copy, undoubtedly unique, of which all the plates have been magnificently colored by hand at the time and enhanced with gold.
No bibliographer was aware of such a colored copy.
