| I have decided to tackle here the issue of identifying a Derome le jeune binding as opposed to a Jean-Pierre Jubert binding. Even though Jubert worked as a dorer for Derome and often used Derome's tools, he also made bindings that were made with his own tools, these are easilly recognized even though they are often confused with the work of Derome. Emile Dacier, probably one of the most trusted and respected of the French bibliophiles, edited and prefaced a 1950 Paris publication entitled: Les plus belles reliures de la reunion des Bibliotheques Nationales. Paris, editions des Bibliotheques Nationales de France, s.d. (ca. 1950). Here Dacier fell into the trap of Derome's signed bindings, Derome's etiquette was inside however the dentelle on the outside was the creation of Jubert with his own tools. By attributing unreservedly this binding to Derome le jeune Dacier perpetuated the myth and confusion surrounding these two binders. In Comparative Diagram 1, I show the imprints from the Chateau de Versailles coffret V 6176 compared with Dacier's signed Derome. I have documented this 1950 work of Dacier on another page, click here to see it. Click on this diagram to see an enlargement. Observe closely these two details, there is not a single Derome le jeune tool in evidence within the Planche XXXIX imprints, yet it has been attributed to Derome le jeune and probably often cited as Deromes work. Without a doubt the tools of Jubert were designed to imitate those of Derome, however they are not a close as they might have been were he wishing to make fake imitation Derome dentelles. For instance the corner tool of Derome dj-12, Jubert has replaced this with his own example of this tool, it is not an identical copy. If he wanted an identical copy it could have been made probably for the same money and be very difficult to distinguish. We have seen on the previous pages the level of craftmanship and miniturized details in Cameos, I have no doubt that identical tools could have been manufactured if that was what was desired. |
| In Comparative Diagram 2, we see that Juberts example is larger, the petals and leafs with a different stylization. Particularly the difference in the negative space within the leafs of the two examples is striking. Jubert's example reminds me of a Rorschach inkblot test, where you can imagine that you see any number of things within these shapes, a flying witch or happy dog, what ever it is, the next time you see this imprint you willl now recognize it immediately as a Jubert imprint. |
| We must thank the staff at the Chateau de Versaille for this wonderful zoom on their photos which allows us to see Derome le jeune imprints with an amazing sharpness of detail. With such magnification (around 1000 or more dpi) all doubts concerning the author of this work have been removed. In Comparative Diagram 3, I show a collection of dj-12 imprints from various 'certified' Derome le jeune bindings. C11d6 and C22f3 are found in the British Library Database of Bookbindings. |
| I don't want to be too repetitive, however the three examples shown in Comparative Diagram 4, are the key to identifying the work of three major French decorative bookbinders in the third quarter of the 18th century. You can try to memorize them but they all have a lot in common. One thing separates them quite distintly, it is the ring or dot at the base of the shell, Dubuisson has placed a distinct dot inside this ring, Derome has only the ring, and Jubert has just a plain dot without even a ring, however these differences might be obscured by an excess of gold or a poorly applied imprint. The skirt under shell is attached in the Derome example being another major difference. |
| In Comparative Diagram 5, we see more convincing proof that these are Derome's tools. In this research, up to this point now of over 10 years of intensive scrutiny... I am starting to forget things, while I was searching for this Derome dj-2, imprint in Jubert bindings, I rediscovered a Jubert binding that is actually in the collection of Jubert's bindings shown on the previous page, however the importance of this binding is now 10 fold as it just happens to be a Jubert binding from 1773 on the same Arioste publication as found on the 709 binding, not only that, this one has Derome le jeune's signature etiquette inside and mostly Jubert tools on the outside.. however dj-2 , dj-5 and dj-46a and b are also present. |
| In Comparative Diagram 6, we see a confirmation of what I suggested on the previous page, that Jean-Pierre Jubert fashioned these dentelles à l'oiseau. In the first example (709) he used mainly Derome tools, however in the second (12) he used mainly his own 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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