[Rarebooks] WITH THE RARE SUPPLEMENT

[Kenneth Karmiole]

Perrot, Aristide Michel.  COLLECTION HISTORIQUE DES ORDRES DE CHEVALERIE CIVILES ET MILITARES, Existant chez les Differens Peuples du Monde, Suivie D'un Tableau Chronologique des Ordes Eteints.  Ouvrage Orne de 40 Planches Gravees en Taille-Douce et Coloriees avec Soin.....Paris:  Aime Andre. 1820-1846.  [the second volume is the SUPPLEMENT A LA COLLECTON HISTORIQUE.... par L. T. Fayolle, published in Paris byJ. P. Aillaud in 1846].  Lg. 4to.  xxiv,394;iv,84pp.  With both half-titles.  Illus. with a total of 50 finely hand colored plates, 40 (3 double-page) in the original volume and 10 in the Supplement, each plates with numerous illus. of the regalia and medals of the orders, each with a tissue guard.  Orig. blue printed wrappers bound in, both dated 1846.  Presumably the publisher of the Supplement Aillaud, acquired the unsold copies of the 1820 volume, printing a similar number of the Supplement and bound them up together for sale in 1846.  Orig. half brown morocco over marbled boards.  The spine ornatelygilt with 5 compartments.  Extremities a bit rubbed, but a lovely untrimmed copy.
$2,000  

A key study for the insignia and medals of the various orders of knighthood and chivalry around the world.  The Supplement is quite scarce.  Currently OCLC records only 10 copies of the 2 volume 1820-1846 printing.  The American order discussed is the "Order of Cincinnati".  Chapters on two Latin American orders are included, from Brazil and Venezuela.