| On the previous page we saw that the imprints d-46a-3 and d-46b-3 were found on a number of very similar bindings that probably were executed all around the same time period (1750 -1752). In as much as we now have one of these bindings in our hands and have scanned it at 1200dpi, we have a fabulous tool with witch we can preform some miraculous tricks. In Comparative Diagram 1, we have arranged the d-46 pairs from the old catalogue and added these eBay examples that will be catalogued as d-46a-3 and d-46b-3. To make the overlay diagrams to compare our eBay examples with the Sotheby's examples I encountered considerable difficulty in aligning the imprints, and set about trying now to make this process easier, simply by fixing the way in which the imprint is rotated |
| Now you might think that deciding on how an imprint should be rotated, so that it can be catalogued along with the others in a logical and similar fashion should be a simple affair, but alas no... there are many things to be considered as we can see in Comparative Diagram 2, in which I have assembled the 4 examples of d-46b-3 found on the front cover. Douceur had his own orientation for this imprint in relation to the vertical and horizontal , Examples A and C were horizontal and B and D vertical, the trick is to not have them overlap the framing roulette or only slightly, keeping the imprints within the framework of the dentelle. The rotation of the imprint is very deceptive, they look very similar but are not all that similar when you try them in overlap diagrams. The second objective here was to select one that is the best to use as a Type model. After reviewing the 8 examples of d-46b-3 found on this binding I decided on example D and the rotation will be as Douceur has placed it. |
| In Comparative Diagram 3 we begin to see Comparative Implementology in action, without measurement science would not exist. I was forced to find some way of fixing the orientation so that I could quickly align the imprints for overlays, and it just so happened that if the imprint was rotated 45 degrees from the Douceur orientation, a horizontal line could be drawn through the middle the stems (A) and from this position measurements taken. Why is this important I bet you are asking. If we know the exact size of this imprint and we find a similar imprint on another reproduction such as Rahir's 923 we can then resize the Rahir binding even though we do not know the exact size, we can determine what it should be and resize it digitally. Then after resizing all of our Douceur examples that have been decorated with this particular imprint we can extract all the other imprints at exact scale, reaping a harvest of previously uncatalogued imprints. |
| In the past I had extracted the 923 imprints but I had no way of knowing their exact size, now with the overlay I could resize them to their correct scale (see Comparative Diagram 5). Douceur loved the d-46-3 pair so much that he had another very similar pair made, now catalogued as d- 46-4 pair, (shown in Comparative Diagram 6), these appear to be more rare than their smaller cousins. |
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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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