FR EN
1 / 5
an old red book with a gold medallion on the coveran old book with a picture of a woman holding a banneran old book with a picture of a man on itan old book with a picture of a coat of arms on itan old book with a picture of a group of people sitting around a table
ALDE

108 - [THOMAS A KEMPIS]. The Imitation of Christ.
See original version (French)

Estimate €3,000 - €4,000
Sale commission
Description
[THOMAS A KEMPIS]. The Imitation of Christ. New translation. Paris, Élie Josset, 1694. In-12, red morocco, triple gilt rule, coat of arms in the centre, spine decorated with a repeated crowned cipher, red morocco endpapers adorned with a wide gilt lace border, gilt edges on marbled paper (contemporary binding). First edition of the French translation by Nicolas Fontaine. Nicolas Fontaine (1625–1709) taught at Port-Royal and devoted part of his time to transcribing the writings of the Jansenist Solitaires: Arnauld, Nicole and, above all, Lemaistre de Sacy, for whom he served as secretary. He was the principal author of the Royaumont Bible, published in 1670. At the end of the volume are collected ‘Moral and Christian Reflections on the First Book of the Imitation’, litanies and prayers. The volume is adorned with a frontispiece and four engravings outside the text, one of which is signed by François de Poilly. A fine copy bound in a double binding featuring the coat of arms and cipher of Maximilian Emmanuel of Bavaria (1662–1726), Elector of Bavaria and Governor of the Spanish Netherlands from 1692 to 1706. The volume bears the autograph bookplate of his second wife, Thérèse Sobieska (1676–1730), daughter of King John III Sobieski of Poland, at the top of the frontispiece: ‘Teresse Electryse 1704’. A superb copy with a rare and attractive Polish provenance. Scattered foxing and slight marginal discolouration. De Backer, 796 – Audenaert, 341.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale Fine antique books – A library in the Languedoc
Auction location
Auction time 10/20/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
You may also like