‎Ecclesia Catholica L'Abbé DELAUNAY ( text editor ) - Léon CURMER ( publisher ) :‎
‎Les Evangiles des Dimanches et Fêtes de l'année suivies de Prières à la Sainte Vierge et aux Saints. Texte revu par l'Abbé Delaunay. 3 volumes.‎

‎" Paris, Léon Curmer, 1864, ( title leaf ) ; réimprimés en 1872 par la Maison Bachelin Deflorenne, (half title leaf) , 3 vols in-4°, 28 x 20,5 cm, Vol. I ; (6) nn pp + (38) plates ( numbered III-XL) + 170 plates + IV plates (index) , complete, all plates in chromolithography. Vol. II ; (4) nn pp + pp 171 - 362 (containing 200 plates) + (V) plates (index), all plates in chromolithography. (Page numbering erratic as some plates are counted double; recto ; verso. Other plates are unnumbered. (complete). Vol.III ; (6) nn pp + xxxii pp + (172) nn pp + 154 pp + (6) nn pp + 255 pp + (3) nn pp (complete), with 79 original photographs, mounted within large typographical borders with floral motifs. Binding; uniformly bound in full bright red leather with a large renaissance style decoration on both covers consisting of dark green inlaid leather borded with ciselled gilt lines and patches. Raised gilt spine also with inlaid decorations, all edges gilt. Bindings signed at lower end of spine '' A. Ségouin, Paris''. A stunning binding in a near perfect state of preservation. This edition by Léon Curmer (1801-1870) is one of the highlights of French bookillustration in the 19th century before the advance of modern reproduction techniques such as photo engraving and zincography. The book was published in 1864. The half title indicates that this copy of the edition was published by Bachelin in 1872. ( We collated this edition against a Curmer 1864 edition and can confirm that this text addition is the only difference. This leads to the conclusion that both editions belong to the same printing run ). Curmer had gained success with e.g. the publication in 1838 of '' Paul et Virginie '' illustrated by Meissonier. In his '' Evangiles'' he collected specimen of western medieaval book illustration from all the important manuscripts still extant in France, Italy, Great Britain... He rendered them in chromolithography. In the third volume of this work he extensively explains the origine of the illustrations used in volume I and II. The third volume contains also original photographs of 16th century copper engravings. A very fine copy of an extraordinary and beautifully produced book which will hardly ever be surpassed for the quality of its chromolithographies. It is in a way the culmination of the ever growing interest during the 19th century in the art of mediaeval illustrated manuscripts, which started at the beginning of the century and gave us e.g. in 1833 Henry Shaw's Illuminated Ornaments. (See also Carteret Vol 3 - 226 ).."‎

Reference : 37786

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