Beschreibung:

REVEREND, Jean, aumônier (fl.1600s). Les dits notables de Monsieur Philippe de France, Duc d'Anjou, frere unique du Roi . Paris: 1655. One of five copies only, printed on vellum and illuminated in gold, red and blue throughout, with a unique dedication to the Duke of Savoy. It has a distinguished provenance, having been in two of the greatest French book collections of the 19th century. Some copies have a frontispiece which is not present here, and is not mentioned in the catalogue entry when it was sold in the MacCarthy-Reagh sale in 1815, nor in the Lignerolles sale of 1894. MacCarthy-Reagh (1744-1811), born in Ireland, became a naturalized French citizen in 1776 on account of his staunch Catholic beliefs and installed himself in Toulouse, where he spent the rest of his life (and considerable wealth) forming one of the finest private libraries ever assembled. De Ricci described the MacCarthy-Reagh library as 'extravagantly rich in books printed on vellum.' The auction catalogue describes, amongst much else, 602 books (in 826 volumes) printed on vellum including a copy of the Gutenberg Bible (lot 61), copies of the 1457 and 1459 Mainz Psalter, and a copy of the Ximenes Polyglot Bible. Brunet IV, 1257-8: 'On connaît au moins cinq exemplaires de ce petit volume imprimé sur vélin ... et ayant chacun une dédicace particulière'; Van Praet, 479-481, with only entry 479 calling for a frontispiece. Octavo (166 x 104mm). 3 woodcut headpieces and 3 engraved initials illuminated in gold, red and blue, each page with gold and blue borders (title lightly soiled and rubbed). 19th-century green morocco, covers with gilt roll-tooled border comprising fleur-de-lys, a double-fillet, and a toothed roll, gilt spine, turn-ins and edges (extremities faintly rubbed). Provenance : Comte Justin de MacCarthy Reagh (his sale in 1815, lot 3653, sold for 50 francs) – Raoul Léonor comte de Lignerolles (1817-1893, bibliophile, his sale 20 April 1894, lot 2922, note on rear endpaper noting it was bought for '140 fr et les frais').