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Heures presentées a Madame la Dauphine. Paris: Theodore de Hansy, [vers 1745-1746]. In-8 (193 x 122 mm). Frontispice d'après Le Sueur, gravé par Soubeyran, titre et 260 pages gravées, et 5 gravures hors texte par Raymond d'après Coypel, Mignard, Dulin, Le Guide et Champagne. (Piqûre page 243.) RELIURE SIGNéE DE LE MONNIER: maroquin rouge à dentelle composée de fleurs diverses, dont de grosses grenades dans les milieux des côtés, coquillages, feuillages rocaille, bordée d'un encadrement de fers en anse, signature MONNIER FECIT au bas du plat supérieur, dos orné de fleurettes et fers courbes à dents de rat, roulettes intérieure et sur les coupes, gardes de papier blanc étoilé, tranches dorées sur marbrure, (coins très habilement restaurés). Musea Nostra, p. 54. PROVENANCE: Major J.R. Abbey (ex-libris), vente I à Londres, 21-23 juin 1965, lot 377. UNE DES TRèS RARES RELIURES SIGNéES DE LE MONNIER. Cette gracieuse reliure à dentelle porte la signature MONNIER FECIT. Richement ornementée de nombreux fers différents, elle permet d'attribuer à l'atelier de ce relieur un certain nombre de reliures comportant les mêmes fers, dont Paul Culot a identifié jusqu'ici 31 exemples: 6 exemplaires de cette édition des Heures de Hansy, 14 reliures sur des éditions latines données par Barbou entre 1753 et 1761, huit exemples divers, et trois reliures aux armes de la maison d'Orléans. De cet ensemble, la collection Wittock possède sept exemplaires (voir lots 74, 114, 131, 214, 217, 239). Paul Culot identifie l'auteur de la signature MONNIER FECIT comme étant LOUIS-FRANçOIS LE MONNIER, l'un des nombreux membres de cette dynastie de relieurs des XVIIIe et XIXe siècles. Louis-François fut reçu maître le 14 octobre 1737, élu garde de la communauté en 1756. Il demeura rue Saint-Jean de Beauvais jusqu'à sa mort, que l'on peut dater après 1776. Son fils Jean-Charles-Henri, dit Le Jeune, maître depuis 1757, garde de la communauté en 1769, lui succède. Il portera le titre de seul relieur doreur de livres de Monseigneur le duc d'Orléans et de sa maison. LES RELIURES à DENTELLE DU XVIIIE SIèCLE SIGNéES SONT DE TOUTE RARETé. Paul Culot, Autour d'une reliure signée MONNIER FECIT . In "Revue de la Bibliothèque nationale", n° 12: La Reliure, pages 53 à 55. In-8 (193 x 122 mm). Frontispiece after Le Sueur, engraved by Soubeyran, title and 260 engraved pages, and 5 etchings off text by Raymond after Coypel, Mignard, Dulin, The Guide and Champagne. (Sting page 243.) Binding signed by LEMONNIER: red leather with dentelle composed of various flowers, including large grenades in the middle of the sides, seashells, foliage rocaille, framed with a drawer handle roulette, MONNIER FECIT signature at the bottom of the front board, spine decorated with flowers and curved irons with rat teeth, inner dentelle roulettes as well as on the board edges, white endpapers with stars, gilt over marbled edges (corners very skilfully restored). Musea Nostra, p. 54. PROVENANCE: Major J. R. Abbey (ex libris), sale I at London, June 21-23, 1965, lot 377. ONE OF THE VERY RARE BINDINGS SIGNED BY LEMONNIER. This graceful dentelle binding bears the signature MONNIER FECIT. Richly ornamented with many different guilding irons, that permit us to attribute the binding to the workshop of this bookbinder. aAnumber of bindings have been identified with these same tools, by Paul Culot, who has so far identified 31 examples: 6 copies of this edition of the Hours of Hansy, 14 bindings on Latin editions given by Barbou between 1753 and 1761, eight various examples, and three bindings decorated with the armories of the House of Orleans. Of this set, the Wittock collection has seven copies (see lots 74, 114, 131, 214, 217, 239). Paul Culot identifies the author of the MONNIER FECIT signature as LOUIS-FRANÇOIS LE MONNIER, one of the many members of this dynasty of bookbinders of the 18th and 19th centuries. Louis-François was made master on October 14, 1737, elected guard of the community in 1756. He remained rue Saint-Jean de Beauvais until his death, which can be dated after 1776. His son Jean-Charles-Henri, called Le Jeune, master since 1757, guard of the community in 1769, succeeds him. He attained the post of official bookbinder for Monseigneur the Duke of Orleans and his house. SIDNED DENTELLE BINDINGS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTUR ARE EXTREMELY RARE. Paul Culot, author of Autour d'une reliure signée "Monnier fecit". In "Revue de la Bibliothèque nationale", No. 12: La Reliure, pages 53 to 55. |
| The reproduction of the binding shown above comes from a 2004, Christie's auction catalogue (click here to see it) The auction item was estimated to be worth anywhere from 8.000 to 12.000 EUR and sold for 9.400 EUR (some 14 years ago). In the auction details they list a date of 1745 to 1746, that would make it one of the earliest dentelles of this type, probably it is much later. In their description Christie's mention 3 other bindings, these I show below. The surprise is that these bindings are all more or less identical. |
| In Comparative Diagram 1, I show two more examples of these Lemonnier plaque like bindings, Lemonnier has used some large corner stamps on all of these bindings which gives them a very uniform look not unlike the Dubuisson plaques. I would not be surprised if these bindings were all from around the same period 1761 and later, here we do not see any of the typical early Lemonnier tools. |
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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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