(Evelyn, John, trans.)

Estimate

8,000 - 12,000 USD

bidding is closed

Description

Roland Fréart, Sieur de Chambray. A Parallel of Antient Architecture with the Modern... Written in French by Roland Freart, Sieur de Chambray; Made English for the Benefit of Builders. To which is added an Account of Architects and Architecture, in an Historical, and Etymological Explanation of certain tearms particularly affected by Architects. With Leon Baptista Alerti's Treatise of Statues. By John Evelyn... London: Printed by Tho. Roycroft, for John Place, 1644
Ink, paper and cow

Folio (16 x 10 in.; 408 x 257 mm.). Engraved title with portrait in medallion, 40 engraved full-page plates, 2 in-text plates, engraved initials, head- and tailpieces. Some spotting and foxing. Contemporary red morocco gilt attributed to the Royal Heads Binder, gilt border of double fillet, enclosing a panel of single and double fillets, and flower in a circle roll, the center of each side of the panel decorated on the outside edge with strawberry and flower volutes, acorn, scroll, flower and dot tools, and at the corners with an elaborate scroll tool, central cartouche with gilt fleur-de-lys in two branches of laurel topped by a crown repeated four times in a geometrical frame, spine with gilt ornament; large stain on the first cover, extremities slightly rubbed, top of the spine damaged.

Provenance

The Duke of Beaufort (library code on first blank) — W.R. Jeudwine (bookplate; Bloomsbury, 1984, lot 150). acquisition: Purchased at the foregoing sale through Bernard Quaritch

Literature

Wing C1923; Maggs/Catalogue 1212, p. 74; English Restoration Bookbindings 54, p. 30; Five Centuries of English Bookbinding 36, p. 86

Catalogue Note

First edition, large-paper copy.

This very elegant binding can be attributed to the not well-known "Royal Heads Binder," named after the profile portrait tools of Charles II and Catherine of Braganza which were used on a distinct group of bindings from the Royal Chapel. "Bindings, with the same tools but without the heads, are found on a dozen more books (...) None of the printed books is later that 1664 (...) so it is possible that this binder's equipment was lost in the Fire of London in 1666" (Nixon). The central cartouche seems clumsily stamped for a binder of this quality and may have been added by an apprentice or another hand.