Nouveaux Mémoires des autres - Jules Simon - Illustrations by Charles Léandre - Paris 1891

A beautifully illustrated French book from 1891, written by Jules Simon and featuring illustrations by the French artist Charles Léandre.

Nouveaux Mémoires des autres contains eight stories and memories in which Simon describes French life, personal events, and social developments.

Particularly notable in this edition are the numerous refined illustrations by Charles Léandre, executed as wood engravings by Alfred Prunaire. The detailed depictions show, among other things, historical interiors, human figures, and scenes from daily life. Several illustrations bear Léandre’s printed signature.

The binding also deserves attention. The deep blue and black marbled covers are combined with a dark leather spine, featuring gilt lettering and decorative details.

A characterful example of 19th-century French book art, interesting for enthusiasts of antique books, historical illustrations, and French literature.

Details

• Title: Nouveaux Mémoires des autres
• Author: Jules Simon
• Illustrator: Charles Léandre
• Engraver: Alfred Prunaire
• Publishers: Émile Testard and E. Flammarion
• Published: Paris, 1891
• Printing: Deuxième mille
• Language: French
• Pages: 360, followed by a table of contents
• Illustrations: wood engravings after drawings by Charles Léandre
• Binding: presumably half-leather with blue-black marbled covers
• Dimensions: 18 × 12.5 × 2.5 cm

Condition

Good antique condition with signs of wear consistent with its age. The leather spine and corners show wear and the binding is slightly skewed. The paper is lightly yellowed and the edges are discolored.

The book block is firm and the illustrations are well-preserved.