Album of 61 Hand-colored Carriage Plates
Full Morocco
by Thomas, Brice. Lithography by [Andre] and [Charles] Fernique
Full Morocco. Good. Decorative bookplate of Rudolph Valentino. Oblong, 18 by 27 cm. Plates come from several sources, most prominently "Le Guide du Carrossier", published in Paris. This title is embossed in gilt, now heavily faded, on the spine. The matinee idol and quintessential Latin lover Rudolph Valentino (1895-1926) was a notable book collector during his brief career as a top flight movie star, which ended with his untimely death. The bookplate was designed by film director and production designer William Cameron Menzies (1896-1957), whose signature is printed in the lower right corner of the bookplate. Menzies served as the art director for "Gone with the Wind", just one of the many celebrated movies in which he was a significant participant. Menzies was a passionate fencer, as befitting the illustration of a jousting knight in the bookplate. Condition: rubbed along edges. Rebacked, with original spine mounted thereon, and title faded but still legible. Boards with some rubbing, loss of color, other wear. Early plates have light to moderate soiling, and a few plates at the end have heavier foxing. Most plates are clean, though, and overall an appealing collection of carriage plates. (Inventory #: 007057)