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an old book with a red cover sitting on top of a white surfacean old book with a title on it that says al mahide or the captive queenan old book with a black and white image of the title
ALDE

87 - SCUDÉRY (Madeleine de). *Almahide, or the Captive Queen*: an…
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Estimate €5,000 - €6,000
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Description
SCUDÉRY (Madeleine de). *Almahide, or the Captive Queen*: an excellent new romance, never before published in English. Written in French by the skilful pen of Monsieur Scudery, Governor of Notre Dame, translated into English by J. Philipps, Gent. London, Th. Dring, 1677. 4 parts in one large quarto volume, red morocco, framed with a double gilt line, ribbed spine decorated with panels and a repeated crowned monogram, gilt edges ([Samuel Mearne]). 2 ff., 225 pp., 267 pp., 107 pp., 76 pp. First edition of the English translation of *Almahide*. Text in two columns, with initials and three wood-engraved headpieces in the first book.  A copy bound for King Charles II of England, bearing his crowned monogram repeated six times on the spine, by his court bookbinder Samuel Mearne (1624–1683). The only works belonging to Charles II to have passed into private hands are the few volumes found at his bookbinder’s workshop upon the king’s death, which were subsequently sold by the Mearne heirs. King Charles II had a particular reason for taking an interest in Scudéry’s novel, his affair with the actress Nell Gwyn (1650–1687) was made official in 1669 whilst she was performing the role of Almahide in the tragedy adapted from the novel by the playwright John Dryden, *The Conquest of Granada*. See P. Cunningham. *The Story of Nell Gwyn and the Sayings of Charles II*, p. 78 et seq. On the final endpaper is a handwritten bookplate reading ‘Sall Sanders 1691’; the book subsequently formed part of the Henri Bonnasse collection, whose bookplate it bears.  Foxing and stains on some leaves; a few wormholes in the margins. C. Davenport. *English heraldic bookstamps*, p. 109.
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About the sale Xavier de Planhol Library – The Origins of the Novel
Auction location
Auction time 09/30/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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