New edition, with 58 illustrated full-page plates including a frontispiece, all after P. A. Varin.
Full green velvet binding with silver edges, elaborately decorated with gilt gauffered rocaille motifs, and some blind stamped, with abundant onlays of blue, purple, cream and red velvet ; upper board with silver engraved crowned A[ve] M[aria] initials at center, "RGP" silver engraved initials at center of second board, both initials inside a wide red velvet inlay bordered with gilt gauffered motifs displaying the sheepskin of the Order of the Golden Fleece at bottom, spine elaborately decorated with gilt rocaille motifs, silver engraved title label, silver clasps with pierced leafy designs and central roundel, light blue watered silk pastedowns and endpapers elaborately decorated with gilt rocaille gauffered motifs, all edges gilt. Contemporary binding. Scattered foxing throughout.
A masterful piece of Rocaille book-making in velvet and silver, opulently gauffered and heavily gilt, in exceptional condition.