Moncrif's Cats, Les Chats de Francois

London: The Golden Cockerel Press, 1961. Limited Edition. Cloth. Fine/very good. Poetry. [POETRY] [LETTERS]. Limited edition, number 232 of 400. 4to; 187pp; publisher's alternative half-binding of royal blue cloth with a red overlay; gilt-stamped roundel with the portrait of a cat on front, gilt lettering on front and spine; bottom edge untrimmed; title page printed in black and red; 9 plates and one fold-out historical genealogy reproduced by collotype; publisher's glassine dust jacket, creases and a chip to front corner; fine in a very good plus glassine jacket. A limited edition copy of the translation from the French of Moncrif's ode to cats. Augustin de Moncrif (1687-1770) was the court appointed royal historian of King Louis XV of France. His humorous dissertation written in 1727 titled Histoire des Chats : dissertation sur la prééminence des chats dans la société, sur les autres animaux d'Égypte, sur les distinctions et privilèges dont ils ont joui personnellement, is illustrated with wonderful reproductions from the original publication.