FABLES DE FLORIAN: Églogues et Contes en Vers. Ruth, - Tobie. - Le Cheval d'Espagne. Le Chien de Chasse. This item is unavailable.FABLES DE FLORIAN: Églogues et Contes en Vers. Ruth, - Tobie. - Le Cheval d'Espagne. Le Chien de Chasse

Imprisoned during the French Revolution, Florian (1755-94) died from tuberculosis shortly after his release, leaving behind this collection of fables, the best in French literature after those of La Fontaine. From the library of Brand Whitlock (1869-1934), the four-time mayor of Toledo, Ohio, and U.S. Ambassador to Belgium, with his armorial bookplate to the front pastedown. Octavo: xvi, 268 pp. with the portrait frontispiece, title page vignette, 7 full-page plates, and numerous textual vignettes, all wood engravings by Ecosse, A Fity, F. Laville, Nichols, et al., after Eugene Battaille, Lacoste, et al. In the publisher's black morocco-grain cloth binding, with blind-stamped ruled borders and elaborate gilt-stamped designs and titling, accented by magenta, bright green, white, blue, taupe, and vermilion paper onlays. All edges gilt, with tan endpapers. Just the slightest hint of foxing to the contents; else fine. An impeccable example of a 19th century French polychome publisher's binding. Provenance: from the Publishers' Bookbindings collection of Ellen K. Morris and Edward S. Levin.…