Académie Royale Médailles Inscriptions (2 results)

Original Lederband auf 5 Nerven, 8°, 407 Seiten und einer ausfaltbaren Karte im Text. Name auf Titel. Einband stark berieben, fleckig und bestossen, Rücken, Kanten und Ecken stark bestossen. Rücken an den Kanten beschädigt und Fehlstellen. Vorsatz mit Fehlstelle, Schnitt stockfleckig. Innendeckel, Vorsätze angestaubt und fleckig sonst gut.

First quarto edition, first published in folio earlier the same year, a very elegant and imposing publication depicting the medals issued under Louis XIV's reign. "It is celebrated for its 'roman du roi' typography, a 'rational' design of type using perfectly vertical axis and perfectly horizontal, symmetrical serifs, first produced by Jacques Jaugeon in 1695. Philippe Grandjean was commissioned to cut punches based on Jaugeon's designs, and this modified type was used for the first time in the printing of this volume. Although none of the illustrations are signed, the last paragraph of the Preface states that two hundred were drawn by Coypel, the rest by Leclerc, and the borders and fleurons by Berain; that the engravings were by Mauger, Roettiers, Bernard et Roussel, Edelink, the Simonneau brothers, Audran and Picard" (Royal Collection Trust catalogue description of their folio copy). Brunet III, 1564 (folio edition only). Quarto (287 x 209 mm). Contemporary sheep, red morocco label, gilt in compartments, marbled pastedowns, blank free endpapers, red edges. With engraved frontispiece by Charles Simonneau after Antoine Coypel, title vignette, and 289 textual leaves each with 1 or 2 copper engravings of a medallion and a woodcut tailpiece, versos blank. Small 19th-century effaced shelf label to front pastedown, neat contemporary ink notations to rear free endpaper. Extremities neatly restored, light staining to covers, title restored at foot (glancing imprint date without loss, likely replacing earlier excised ownership inscription), initial and final few leaves lightly browned, sporadic minor foxing and toning thereafter, light stain at head of gutter of leaves 206-212. A very good copy.