1 / 2
Premium Artcurial
5
-
BURY (Richard de)
See original version (French)
5
-
BURY (Richard de)
See original version (French)
Estimate €3,000 - €4,000
Voluntary lot
Description
BURY (Richard de)
Paris, Saillant, 1768.
History of the Life of Louis XIII, King of France and Navarre.
4 vols. in-12 (16.9 x 9.6 cm), grained calfskin, with small gilt motifs framing the covers, plain spine decorated with gilt motifs, red title label and volume number (oval), gilt monogram at the foot of the spines (contemporary binding).
[2] leaves, xxvi, 1 blank leaf, 456 pp.– [2] ff., 537 pp.– [2] ff., 487 pp.– [2] ff., 466 pp.
A precious copy belonging to Napoleon Bonaparte and Joséphine at Malmaison.
First edition.
This historical work chronicles the reign of the son of Henry IV and Marie de’ Medici, born in 1601 and died in 1643. It covers his accession to the throne, his marriage, his reign and his relationship with Cardinal Richelieu.
In a note to the Minister of the Interior, Cretet, regarding a new history of France to be written by an author subsidised by the State, Napoleon I had stated: ‘One must be fair to Henry IV, Louis XIII and Louis XIV, but without being sycophantic’.
Bindings bearing the monogram ‘PB’ are generally attributed to Charles-Pierre Bizoulard, a Parisian bookbinder based on Rue des Carmes in Paris. The books remained the property of Prince Eugène after Joséphine’s death, and were subsequently sold on site in 1829. It was on this occasion that the black-ink stamp ‘Bibliothèque de la Malmaison’ was applied to the title pages of the volumes.
A fine copy.
A stain at the bottom of the lower cover and spine of one volume, a small tear at one joint, one cap trim worn down, corners slightly rounded. Slight foxing, an ink stain on a few leaves, traces of glued paper on the last page of the first volume. pp. xxv–xxvi are bound at the beginning of the preface (rather than at the end).
Provenance
– Napoleon Bonaparte and Josephine (monogram ‘PB’ for Pagerie-Bonaparte, wet stamp ‘Bibliothèque de la Malmaison’ on the title pages).
– Auction, Fontainebleau, Osenat, 19 November 2016, lot 101.
Bibliography
OHR, pl. 2653, small-format variant of plate no. 3.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
You may also like