The ruined abbeys of Yorkshire

Seelay, Jackson, and Halliday, London 1883, Petin-Folio (25 x 35.5 cm), 71pp., bound

First edition illustrated with 11 wonderful etchings and one in a wash drawing style by Brunet-Debaines and H. Toussaint drawn on arches paper. 33 in-text figures (plans, details, views...). Text in double columns. Alfred-Louis Brunet-Debaines (1845-1939) is a French painter, draughtsman and engraver who made his career in England. His achievements for the book are truly striking creations and were hailed as such.

Sent by the Queen of the Belgians, Marie-Henriette of Austria, Archduchess, to Louis D'Orléans: "Pour le Duc de Nemours de la part de la reine. Noel 1883” “For the Duke of Nemours on behalf of the Queen. Christmas 1883”. Ironically, Louis D'Orléans, Duke of Nemours and youngest son of King Louis-Philippe, was elected King of the Belgians by the Belgian congress in 1831, but the English didn't want a French King on the Belgian throne and Louis-Philippe had to renounce the name of his son. It is a Prince of the House of Saxe-Cobourg who will be designated to be the first King of the Belgians and he will marry the daughter of Louis-Philippe and the sister of the Duke of Nemours: Louise D'Orléans, in 1833, but she will die in 1850 and Leopold I will remarry Marie-Henriette of Austria. The Duke of Nemours was thus a close friend of the Belgian royal family, since he was Leopold's brother in law.
Royal provenance: ex-libris with arms: Library of S. A. R. Madame the Duchess of Vendôme, Princess of Belgium. Second ex-libris: Antonio Barette.

Bound in contemporary marine morocco. Spine in compartments decorated with shells and other finishing tools. Gilt title. Large frames on the splats with ornamental panel stamps and shell finishing tools. Rich inner dentelle. Edges gilt. Flattened corners. Some signs of rubbing. Some foxing in the margins of the text.

A very beautiful copy.