[Binding, Fine- Durvand] Mohammed Prophete D'Allah

Paris: L'Edition D'Art, H. Piazza, 1918. First edition thus. First edition thus. Thick folio size. Exquisitely bound by Durvand, master French binder in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, known for his elaborate and technically excellent gilt application, tooling and design. An impressive and finely gilt-tooled work, bound in sumptuous full dark green crushed cape levant. The front and back covers lavishly impressed and tooled in gilt comprising an oval central medallion with red tracery designs within a solid gold background. With recessed cords on spine giving a deep design in relief, with one elongated panel of Arabic design incorporating three (truncated) red onlays and title in Arabic in center. Elaborate gilt dentelles with 5 fillet lines, watered green silk panels and flyleaf. Single gilt rule along the edges of the boards. Top edges finely gilt. Signed on the front lower dentelle, "Durvand Rel. [Relieure, or "binder"). The book is scarce and one of the finer illustrated books of this genre published in the 20th Century, 173pp. No. 622 form an edition 0f 800. Printed with lavish color plates in full color, 38 full-page colored plates with lettered tissue guards, many illuminated with gold. The illustrations are by E. Dinet and decorations by de Mohammed Racim. Very slight wear to joints. A fine copy of a binding one would expect to find with faults due to its size and weight, but this example is amazingly bright and fresh. Housed in a leather-edged French Marble paper slipcase. (Inventory #: 4508)