On the previous page we have pointed out that Barber's binding W.Cat. 101, is probably not by Louis Douceur simply because the imprints are from tools that only imitate the tools of Douceur. Above we show an enlargement of Barbers reproduction, this is a massive 50 cm tall folio binding that has been reproduced in a small size in the corner of his page. Of course it will be nearly impossible to enlarge this to a size where we can see the actual imprints clearly, however we only need to see the general shape of these imprints to know which ones they are in Barber's catalogue. Below I have enlarged a corner detail. |
Above we see an even further enlargement the imprints that we were looking at on the previous page namely FL. 150 and an another imprint that resembles the d-17 imprints. The fact that these two imprints are together here is fairly certain proof that they are the same imprints as are found on the 1760 Office. Below I show Barber's catalogued imprints for the d-17 look alike tools and here is where things get a bit strange. Barber never catalogued this tool from the W.Cat. 101. binding, he catalogued one nearby that is vaguely similar, but why has he ignored this one and more puzzling is the fact that Barber never catalogued the actual authentic Douceur imprints d-17a and a-17b from which these other imprints are spinoffs, i.e. FR 48 which appears on binding W. Cat. 631 and which we have detailed on a previous page (click here to see it) demonstrating this is another binding that that was clearly not made by Douceur and yet ascribed to him by Barber on the bases of similar only, imitation tools. Below I show the complete Barber collection of this particular imprint form, FR 48 to FR 51. |
In Comparative Diagram 1, notice the differences between Barber's FR 48 imprints and the Douceur d-17 imprints, specifically the tail which terminates in what appears to be a flower as opposed to the distinct fish tale of d-17. There are many differences in fact but the tail differences are easy to see. The 1760 Office example copies more closely the Doucer model however here too there are many differences, the first leaf coming out of the spiral is distinctly smaller in the 1760 examples. |
In Comparative Diagram 2 - we see Barber's FL 150 type model, compared with the blurry W.Cat. 101 example, as Barber notes that this imprint is found in the W.Cat.101 binding we can be sure that this is it. Below this we see a 1760 Office and a corrected overlay. This is a reversed 'a' at 40% transparency placed over the 1740 imprint that has been corrected in height. For my money these two imprints are the same however, I will scan the 1760 example at 1200 dpi as soon as it arrives to test this. |
In Comparative Diagram 3 - we see the blurry W.Cat. 101 examples compared with the 1760 Office examples, fortunately there is a small detail in these imprints that is different in each of the pairs, I have pointed it out with the small white arrows. The curvature of the imprint at this point is in opposition, it is curving up on one side and curving down on the other. I think we can see this same difference in the W.Cat. 101 examples. In as much as these imprints are found together in the W.Cat. 101 example and also both found in the 1760 Office, this also would appear to confirm that these bindings were made by the same binder, and that binder was not Louis Douceur. The question is, who is this binder? We see that W.Cat. 101, could have been made by a Royal binder, perhaps these bindings were made by Pierre-Antoine Laferte relieur du roi 1762-1769... En activite de 1734 - 1769 environ, fils du relieur Pierre-Louis I Laferte, Pierre-Antoine Laferte est reu maitre le 7 juin 1734, elu administrateur de la confrerie Saint-Hilaire en 1743 et nomme Garde de la communaute le 18 mai 1752. Il porte le titre de relieur de Madame de Pompadour et il est titulaire de la charge de relieur du roi du 15 juin 1762 a 1769, prenant la succession de Pierre-Paul Dubuisson. Sa production, estimee de ses contemporains, n'est pas identifiee BnF In activity from 1734 to around 1769, son of the bookbinder Pierre-Louis I Laferte, Pierre-Antoine Laferte is received master on June 7, 1734, elected administrator of the brotherhood of Saint-Hilaire in 1743 and appointed Community Guard on May 18, 1752 He had the title of bookbinder of Madame de Pompadour and held the office of binder of the king from June 15, 1762 to 1769, taking over from Pierre-Paul Dubuisson. His production, aclaimed by his contemporaries, has not identified. |
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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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