| I noticed this Boyet binding in a 2012 Christies auction (click here to see it), the auction information on this item is a bit confusing however further down the page they mention a binding with "central coat-of-arms of Armand-Gaston de Rohan (Olivier, 2030 fer 31)" and so it must be this one, just finding a binding with these arms is not easy. However Armand Gaston Maximilien de Rohan was very high up on the social ladder in fact he became bishop of Strasbourg in 1704, Cardinal in 1712 then Grand Almoner of France in 1713 and member of the regency council in 1722. I suspect that Boyet took some extra time to decorate this binding for such an important client. |
| Gravé par Laurent Cars en buste, en contrepartie, en 1732 selon Hulst : « buste pris dans le même tableau qui a produit les trois estampes précédentes, mais exécuté de meilleur goût. Les accompagnements d'architecture et attributs qui l'entourent d'une autre main que celle de Rigaud, ce qui se connoît aisément. Estampe de grandeur de thèse pour celle de Jean-Georges Anselme ». Dans la bordure de l'ovale, la lettre suivante : « SER. PR. ARM. GASTO. DE ROHAN S.R.E. CARD. F.P.T. ET PR. ARG. ALSAT. LANDG. S.R.I.P.R. » A gauche, sur une corniche : « Rigaud Pinx. » A droite, de même : « L. Cars fil.us sculp. » De part et d'autre de l'imposante composition architecturée : « Offerebat Joannes - Georgius Anselmes Cde / Serpinis Nab. - Patrilias Mediolonensis. » |
| There are couple of things that caught my eye about this binding, that is very unlike most of Boyet's bindings of this type, and there are many, I say this "type" or style. The workshops of Boyet seemed to specialize in these 1727-1728 Semaine Sainte volumes in what some call an allover design, meaning that the entire board has been covered in decoration. This particular one seems special for a number of reasons, the first being that Boyet returned in the decoration of this binding to a style that he had used on doublures at the beginning of the century, using branch tools to create borders. |
| In Comparative Diagram 2, you will notice again this dentelle fleuron shown on the previous page, separating the corner imprints in the spine compartments, this tool has been in many of the bindings that I have reproduced in the last few pages but is not so common. We need to find a name for this fleuron... scarecrow comes to mind although some might not see it like that. It is always good to have a name and an image that you can remember when you are faced with memorizing thousands of details. |
|
As I said above, it is not easy to find examples of bindings with the arms of Armand Gaston Maximilien de Rohan, and yet when I did, it turned out to be on another similar Boyet binding, however in this case we see the more common form of these 1727 or 1728 Semaine Sainte bindings, here the many small detail tools have been replaced with just a few large ones. Another miracle! (shown below) I found one more Collombat Semaine Sainte with the armes of Armand Gaston Maximilien de Rohan, this comes from, pinterest with a minimum of information, this links to instagram where the say it comes from the archives Nationale and here we find "L'Office de la Semaine Sainte, imprimé par le Commandant du Roy, pour le service de sa Maison. Paris, Collombat, 1717. Ouvrage relié aux armes du cardinal de Rohan" this may be right however I suspect that the date is really 1727. |
| Here we see the classic model of this binding with a few really interesting tools added, the most impressive is the palette at the bottom of the spine, this palette we have detailed on a previous page, as a true sign of a Boyet binding, also we see branches and giant scroll wings, all the while most of these bindings are found with the same framing roulette on the outside. While most of these reproductions are of low resolution and poor quality color, if you were holding one of these treasures in your hands I am sure you would be very impressed. |
| In Comparative Diagram 3, we have the good fortune to see a different centerpiece fleuron in the middle of the spine panels and yet here is another 1727 mars attack palette, barely visible they must have been under attack themselves. This binding has been made for another highly placed member of the clergy, he was bishop of Metz from 1697 to 1732. Below I show a Post Boyet binding of this same type, it was made in 1743, in a similar style however you will note that the outer roulette around the boards has changed, there are some imprints that are the same however, indicating that the tools and workshop of Boyet was still functioning 10 years after his death. |
| To finish up this page I show above yet another binding with the arms of Armand Gaston Maximilien de Rohan (is is possible you ask), here the arms are easy to see for once, and its no surprise that we see at the bottom of the spine of this 1727 binding mars attack palettes! |
|
click here to return to the HOME page. click here to see an INDEX of the 2017 pages. see below links to previous work |
| 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. |
| Virtual Bookings, created by L. A. Miller | return to the Home page of VIRTUAL BOOKBINDINGS |