Epitome Chronicorum Regum Galliae a Pharmundo ad Carolum cius nominis numum
- Quarter Calf. Wood boards
- Paris: Gulielmum Le Noir, 1566
Paris: Gulielmum Le Noir, 1566. First Edition. Quarter Calf. Wood boards. Very Good. Many of the woodcut portraits of French rulers, each slightly more than half of their pages, are beautifully hand-colored, making this an unique copy. The coloring is especially rich in lustrous gold and silver. 12mo. 14.5 by 9 cm. Unpaginated, 160 pages or so. 36, of the 61 portraits, hand-colored. Biographies are short -- some are not even half a page; most are two pages; a few, generally the more recent monarchs, run longer, up to nine pages. Since the monarchs stretch back to the early Middle Ages, when France as we know it didn't exist, many of the portraits are entirely imagined images, and the attire they are wearing is also a-historical. We describe the binding as quarter calf, as it covers the spine but not the corners, but in fact it also covers about a third of the wood boards. Three raised bands. The two initial letter devices also colored -- these are the only such devices in the book. Calf is scuffed but remains attractive. Leaves have some staining and foxing scattered throughout, generally light but sometimes a bit darker or more conspicuous. The binding is tight, and we believe that notwithstanding the issue mentioned about the leaves, few are those who would find the interior disconcerting.
Details
Title
Epitome Chronicorum Regum Galliae a Pharmundo ad Carolum cius nominis numum
Binding
Quarter Calf. Wood boards
Condition
Very Good
Publisher
Gulielmum Le Noir: Paris
Date
1566
Edition
First Edition