Œuvres de Collin d’Harleville (1881) - 8 Geffroy Illustrations, Ed. Follet and Henri Allouard

Exceptionally fine antiquarian copy of Œuvres de Collin d’Harleville, published in Paris by Laplace, Sanchez et Cie in 1881. The volume contains seven plays by the French writer Jean-François Collin d’Harleville (1755–1806), preceded by a biographical account and a fragment about his life.

This copy is particularly notable for the combination of its richly decorated 19th-century binder’s cloth and eight accompanying illustrations. Four different figure scenes are included twice each: once as an uncoloured engraving and once in colour. The plates are based on works by Geffroy, Ed. Follet, Henri Allouard and others, and depict characters from the included plays.

The book is bound in a fine contemporary half-leather binding. The brown leather spine is built up around five raised bands and decorated with gilt title lettering and floral ornaments. The boards are covered in colourfully hand-marbled paper. The endpapers are also fully marbled, here in a particularly vivid red, blue and cream fan pattern. The top edge is gilt.

The volume contains, among others, L’Inconstant, L’Optimiste, Monsieur de Crac dans son petit castel, Les Châteaux en Espagne, Le Vieux Célibataire, Les Mœurs du jour and Malice pour malice. Collin d’Harleville was one of the most successful French comedy writers of the period around the French Revolution. L’Optimiste and Le Vieux Célibataire are among his best-known works.

The copy is exceptionally well-preserved for a book from 1881. The leather spine still retains its colour and texture very well, the gilt decoration remains sharp and clear, and the text block is firm and well-attached to the binding. The marbled paper has also retained its rich colours excellently. The interior is clean and tidy, with only slight localised foxing and normal age-related discolouration.

A particularly attractive 19th-century French book combining literature, illustration and traditional bookbinding.

Details:

• Author: Jean-François Collin d’Harleville (1755–1806)
• Title: Œuvres de Collin d’Harleville
• Full title: Œuvres de Collin d’Harleville, précédées d’un fragment sur sa vie écrit par lui-même
• Publisher: Laplace, Sanchez et Cie
• Place of publication: Paris
• Year: 1881
• Language: French
• Extent: 519 pages
• Contents: seven plays with biographical introduction
• Illustrations: 8 inserted plates
• Illustration format: 4 uncoloured and 4 corresponding colour engravings
• Illustrators: among others Geffroy, Ed. Follet and Henri Allouard
• Binding: contemporary half-leather binder’s cloth
• Spine: brown leather with five raised bands
• Decoration: gilt title and floral ornaments
• Boards: hand-marbled paper
• Endpapers: colourfully hand-marbled paper
• Top edge: gilt
• Dimensions: approx. 18.5 × 13.5 cm
• Thickness: approx. 5 cm
• Origin: France
• Period: late 19th century

Condition:
Very good antiquarian condition. The text block is firm and the interior is remarkably fresh for its age. There is slight localised foxing and normal age-related discolouration. The five-banded leather spine is exceptionally well-preserved, and the gilt title and ornaments remain clear and vivid. The hand-marbled boards and endpapers have retained their colours very well. The gilt top edge is also present. Only slight signs of wear to some edges and to the head and tail of the binding. The eight illustration plates are present. See the photographs for a complete picture of the condition.