Beschreibung:

Jewelled Binding.- Journée du Chrétien (La), sanctifiée par la prière et la méditation, inserted into a 17th century silver-gilt jewelled binding, both covers with central double eagle of the Holy Roman Empire above a pair of hands clasping a heart and surmounted by a crucifix in which Adam's skull appears at the feet of Christ symbolising the cleansing of Adam's sin through Christ's blood, filigree ornament to all corners, both covers and spine set with 181 semi-precious stones including amethysts, garnets, turquoises and simulated sapphires (51 to each cover and 79 to spine, one or two seemingly replaced), covers hinged, silver gilt headbands and clasps encrusted with 22 similar jewels (3 to each headband and 8 to each clasp), red velvet doublures, blue silk flyleaves, g.e., silver backgrounds a little tarnished, preserved in modern velvet-lined red silk drop-back box, 16mo (c.115 x 80mm.), Lyons & Paris, 1844. ⁂ A fine 17th century jewel-encrusted binding containing a later French prayer book. The Journée du Chrétien concerned the daily duties of Christians, including devotional prayers to saints and angels, and was similar in construction and function to a Book of Hours. Provenance: Hohernzollern collection exhibited at Frankfurt's Städel Museum in 1928 (catalogue no.1026); Stadtbibliothek, Frankfurt (small ink stamp to verso of title, slightly showing through); Cornelius Hauck of Cincinnati (small bookplate to front free endpaper, purchased from German bookseller Emil Offenbacher in 1956).