Description de la Grotte de Versailles [bound with] Labyrinte de Versailles

Charles Perrault, Isaac Benserade

Published by De L'Imprimerie Royale, A Paris, 1679

About this Item

A fair copy of the 1st edition of the Description de la Grotte de Versailles bound with a very good copy of the 2nd edition of Labyrinte de Versailles, in contemporary elephant folio full leather binding. La Grotte has had 5 of the 20 plates cut out, but Labyrinte is complete. The binding is sound with raised bands and title label to spine. It is very worn, with a lot of wear to corners with leather loss and to spine joints, spine ends and edges. The surface of the boards is a little rough. All page edges red. There is an old bookplate to the front pastedown endpaper - Earl Vane, from the Library of the Rev. John Vane. Contents: 3 blanks; title 1679; blank verso; Description pp 1-11; Imprimerie to verso p 11; plates 13 single and 2 double; title to Labyrinte 1697; blank verso; Description pp 3-34; blank recto with Explication du Plan du Labyrinte to verso; plate 1; fables (quatrains by Isaac Benserade) and plates (Sebastien Leclerc) on opposing pages - 78 pp, 39 plates; table 3 pp with L'Imprimerie to verso final leaf; 4 x final blanks. The binding is 50 cm x 35 cms; the page size in Labyrinte matches that of the Grotte, but the actual text and plate size is 15.8 x 10.2 cm. Contents are in very good clean condition. Please enquire if you would like to see further images.

Seller Inventory # 032848

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Description de la Grotte de Versailles [bound with] Labyrinte de Versailles
• Publisher: De L'Imprimerie Royale, A Paris
• Publication Date: 1679
• Language: French
• Binding: Full-Leather
• Illustrator: Sebastien Leclerc, Le Potre
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Fair
• Seller catalogs:
  • Gardening and garden design
  • HISTORY