[Cabinet du Roi] | Four volumes from the Cabinet du Roi, 1670-1679, contemporary red morocco with arms of Louis XIV

[Cabinet du Roi].

A collection of four volumes from the Cabinet du Roi, IN PRESENTATION BINDINGS WITH THE ARMS OF LOUIS XIV, comprising:

(i) Charles Perrault, Courses de testes et de bague, faites par le roy, et par les princes et seigneurs de sa cour. Paris: Imprimerie royale, 1670, FIRST EDITION, broadsheets (560 x 430 mm), printed half-title, engraved frontispiece with bust of Louis XIV engraved by Chauveau after Gilles Rousselet, engraved head- and tailpiece, engraved initial, 30 plates by Chauveau after Henri Jissey depicting the riders (including one double-page spread); 8 plates on 4 double pages illustrating the routes of the processions; 55 emblems and mottoes on 10 plates with emblems and mottoes, 3 double-page festival plates by Israël Silvestre, contemporary French red morocco armorial binding, (Olivier 2494 fer 10, largest forma [128 x 105mm]) within a triple-fillet frame with gilt "L" monogram cornerpieces (Olivier 2494, fer 21, largest format [30 x 25 mm]), and a triple-fillet border, spine gilt in eight compartments, one lettered and the remainder gilt incorporating medium "L" monogram tool (Olivier 2494, fer 21 [25 x 20 mm]), marbled endpapers, some light dampstaining to lower margin, some leaves uniformly browned, 40 mm closed tear to lower-right corner of penultimate double-page plate, final leaf with blue paper residue on recto

(ii) Tableaux du Cabinet du Roy, Statues, et bustes antiques des maisons royales. Tome premier. Paris: Imprimerie royale, 1677, FIRST EDITION, broadsheets (560 x 430 mm), printed title with armorial vignette, engraved head- and tailpiece, engraved initial, 40 engraved plates depicting 22 paintings and 18 statues, 6 of which are double-page, 30 full-page, and 4 half-page, binding as above, title page with blue paper residue on verso 

(iii) André Félibien, Description de la Grotte de Versailles. Paris: Imprimerie royale, 1679, FIRST COMMERCIAL EDITION, broadsheets (560 x 430 mm), printed title with armorial vignette, engraved headpiece, engraved initial, 20 numbered plates, 3 of which are double-page and the remainder full-page, binding as above, title page with blue paper residue on verso 

(iv) Claude Perrault, Memoires pour servir a l'histoire naturelles des animaux. Paris: Imprimerie royale, 1676, broadsheets (560 x 430 mm), engraved frontispiece of the Académie Royale des Sciences by and after Sébastien Leclerc and printed by Goyton, printed title with armorial vignette, engraved head- and tailpieces, engraved initials, 29 plates showing animals and their anatomical structure by Sébastien Leclerc, binding as above, some light dampstaining to lower margin, not affecting plates

PROVENANCE:

Thomas Sharp, DD (1693-1758), archdeacon of Northumberland, bookplate; thence by descent

LITERATURE:

(i) cf. BAL RIBA 518.K (1727 edition); (ii) cf. BAL RIBA 516 & 517 (1679 editions); (iii) BAL RIBA 515