[Rarebooks] fa: FRENCH COURTESY BOOKS 1759-1803

[Ardwight Chamberlain]

Listed now, auctions ending MONDAY, November 26. More details and images can be found at the URL below or by searching under the seller name arch_in_la.

http://tinyurl.com/adme5jq

Thanks,
Ardwight Chamberlain
L.A.

l'Abbe [Denis-Xavier] Clement: Avis a une Personne Engagee dans le Monde. Ouvrage Ascetique, dans lequel on trouvera des Regles certaines pour assurer une Conscience scrupuleuse; & une Direction exacte, pour conduire a la plus haute perfection au milieu du Monde. A Mde la Marquise de L***. Paris: Chez H.L. Guerin  & L.F. Delatour, MDCCLIX [1759]. FIRST EDITION. Period French binding, full mottled calf, spine elaborately decorated in gilt, gilt-lettered morocco spine label; small 16mo (13.5 cm); [2], v-viii, 244 pp.; publisher's catalogue; woodcut decorations and initials.
Advice on how to be a woman of the world without losing one's soul; sort of a cross between Lord Chesterfield and Hannah More. An attractive example of an uncommon courtesy book: OCLC locates only one copy in U.S. libraries and institutions (Boston College) and only six worldwide. Elegant little binding shows some wear to the corners; front joint professionally repaired; occasional very light spotting to the leaves; otherwise clean, bright and sound, firmly bound.

M. de Jumigny:: Le Pere Gouverneur de Son Fils. Seconde Edition. Bruxelles: chez B. Le Francq, 1803. Period calf; 12mo (17 cm); [4], xviii, [2], 276 pp.; woodcut decorations.
Uncommon book of Chesterfieldian paternal advice on religion, friendship, marriage, death, la Liberte, la Mediocrite, etc. OCLC locates no examples of this second Brussels edition, and very few of the first Paris edition of 1780. Binding rubbed and worn, joints cracked but boards are secure; some darkening/dust-soiling to the edges of the text block; first page-gathering pulling a bit at the top, but securely bound; small hole in the margin of one leaf, just touching the lettering; mild age-toning to the leaves; otherwise clean and sound. Front paste-down with a previous owner's tipped in bookplate (J.A. Verhorst) and gift inscription.