BERNARDIN DE SAINT-PIERRE, Jacques-Henri. Paul et Virginie – La Chaumière indienne.

“The pearl of 19^th century illustrated books”. (Brivois).

A remarkable copy, elaborately bound by Mercier and perfectly preserved.

One of the very few copies of the deluxe edition on China paper. According to the two prospectuses consulted by Brivois, there were only 15, or 20.

A magnificent edition considered one of the finest productions of the romantic era. It includes “Paul et Virginie” and “La Chaumière indienne”, preceded by a study of Bernardin de Saint-Pierre by Sainte-Beuve.

The illustration, work of the most celebrated drawers and engravers of the time, comprises 29 plates on China paper, including the frontispiece, and about 450 vignettes in text drawn by Tony Johannot, Français, Meissonier, Paul Huet, Isabey, Marville, Steinheil and others, and wood-engraved by Lavoignat, Brévière, Porret, O. Smith, Hart and others, 7 out of text portraits engraved on steel by Cousin, Pelée, Pigeot and Revel after Lafitte, Johannot and Meissonier, and a colored map of l’Île de France (now Mauritius) engraved by Dyonnet.

Attached is a loose print of page 417-418, featuring the portrait of Madame Curmer (known as “La bonne femme”), which was not printed in the earliest copies.

Curmer, having printed Paul et Virginie in large numbers, used a large quantity of vellum paper, unglued, to obtain a brilliant print run of his woodcuts. In all these productions, sheets of paper of varying strength, more or less glued, were used.

For example, the steel engravings and large woodcuts on China paper were applied to stronger, glueless paper, which pitted badly.

Issue 29 included a prospectus on lilac paper advertising 15 copies on China at 500 francs, whereas the cover of the 1st issue of portraits advertises the work at 37 fr. 50, a price that will be raised to 45 francs when it goes on sale, as well as 20 copies on China at only 300 francs a copy. There are copies on China with the rue Saint Anne title and others with the rue Richelieu address. The fact that Curmer spent 3,335 francs on China paper, an enormous sum for the time, proves that, despite its use for the large woodcuts and portraits, he was aware of the beauty of the proofs on this paper and intended to use it for a luxury edition; furthermore, the number of known copies suggests that the print run of the book on China paper was probably 15 plus 20, or 35 copies at the very least.

The publisher, who rarely sold a China copy, delivered it with the title, sometimes with the first, sometimes with the second address. Some copies were completed with large woodcuts outside the text bearing Typ. Plon frères.

“Nearly all copies bound in their time are heavily foxed, especially the out-of-text engravings, and these damp stains are the cause why enthusiasts, with good reason, prefer to put together a fine copy in a modern binding with all the St. John’s weeds.” L. Carteret.

A precious copy on China paper cited and described by Carteret. In the fifty years between 1912 and 1962, Carteret cites 5 copies on China. This one reached one of the highest bids:

1. de Montgermont ……………………………………… 4 500 F
2. V. ………………………………………………………… 9,300 F

Tristan Bernard, 1923 …………………………………..  3 600 F

Renevey, 1924, this copy ………………………………  8 200 F

Descamps. Scrive, 1925 ………………………………. 17 000 F

Since 1967, Carteret cites only one copy on China paper: Roudinesco, 1967; then Esmérian (December 11, 1973, no. 108) 41,270 FF or 6,310 €.

The copy on China paper bound for Ferdinand Philippe d’Orléans was sold for 120,000 FF (18,350 €) on June 5, 1987 (Réf : Livres Précieux, n° 219).

Superb copy on China paper from the library Eugène Renevey (sale 1924, n° 141) with engraved bookplate on loose China paper.