| The reproduction shown above is from the Bibliotheque nationale de France (click here to see it). This is perhaps one of Le Monnier's most beatiful mosaic bindings, said to be from 1747 this would be, in that case earlier than Dubuisson's mosaics, a very important binding in many ways. |
| The Le Monnier binding shown below is another from the Bibliotheque Nationale de France (click here to see it). In the spine details from B-13201 (BIS) shown above we see a few of Le Monnier's unique tools, now in this second binding, thought to be from around 1750 we see the use of these tools on the covers themselves. |
| Here we are starting see see a collection of tools although they are not easily viewed on the cream colored leathers, however these tools show some distinct charateristics. We need to look at some of these more closely, so as to distinguish them from the tools of Dubuisson. |
| Now when we see these imprints of Le Monnier next to those of Dubuisson at the same scale, we are shocked to see just how remarkably similar these tools are, fortunately Le Monnier's imprint has nonsymmetrical antennae which will be easy to spot. However we must wonder why these two binders would have a nearly identical tool that they often used in very similar ways. Logically Le Monnier would have had this tool before Dubuisson, however by 1750, they were both making mosaic bindings that showed remarkable similarities, the pointille dot background on a white or cream colored leather, interior strapwork frames, and a minimum of the usual formal tools, fleurons etc. |
| Above I show another Le Monnier binding from the online collection at the Bibliotheque nationale de France, (click here to see it). The mosaic bindings shown on this page are all in-12, this means that they are somewhere between 5 and 6 inches tall. This then gives you some idea of the intricacy of the detail. |
| I have chosen this corner detail to point out another fleuron that is also connected to Dubuisson. In Comparative Diagram 2 we see some examples of this imprint that is not accidentally very similar in both camps. The Dubuisson model pd-22-2 is considerably larger than that of Le Monnier, and I have only seen it as a single tool, unlike Le Monnier who uses the pair, perhaps I shall encounter the 'b' side however for the moment it seems alone, even Delorme used only the one side and was obviously missing the 'b' or he would have certainly used it (see the Balat binding). Dubuisson had also a smaller similar tool that I catalogued long ago as pd-22, this one as well has only been found with one side. |
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| Even experts are sometimes wrong, before you spend thousands on a book, please do your own research! Just because I say a certain binding can be attributed to le Maitre isn't any kind of guarantee, don't take my word for it, go a step further and get your own proof. In these pages I have provided you with a way of doing just that. |
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