Contes à ma Fille (Two Volumes)

Paris: Chez Rosa Libraire. Printer: Imprimerie de J. L. Chanson, 1814. Stated Fifth (Cinquieme) Edition. Full Calf. An especially lovely copy, possibly unique in its hand-colored plates, of what was once a popular anthology of children's stories. The hand-coloring accentuates the exquisite charm of the illustrations, comparable to the sweet detailing of French almanacs and lady's gift books issued by Janet and LeFuel at this time, or the quintessential Biedermeier style in the Teutonic world in the early decades of the 19th century. Also a contemporary full calf binding that epitomizes the tastefulness of the day, with one of the inimitable details the (truncated) band of vine gilt decoration on all the boards. 12mo. 173 by 118 mm. x, 319, [2], 364 pp. With a total of 30 hand-colored plates, in addition to hand-colored illustration on both volumes' primary title page -- both volumes also have half-title leaves. Containing 31 stories, 20 in the first volume, 11 in the second, plus a short conclusion. Each story is accompanied by a plate, excepting one story in the first volume -- "Le Cabriolet Verse" -- and the second volume's "Conclusion" doesn't have a plate. The first volume preliminaries has in ink a stylized cursive rendering of what looks like the name "Bouilly". Was this to indicate the ownership by the author, or more likely, his daughter, to whom the stories were originally dedicated? If so, this might explain the decision to hand-color the engravings of this copy, and perhaps, only this copy. Bouilly was a prolific author, known both for his stories for young readers and for his plays and libretti, as well as a politician, including during the time of the issue of these two volumes. Today he is probably best remembered for having written a libretto that would become the inspiration and the basic story outline of Beethoven's one opera, "Fidelio". The binding has some wear -- rubbing along the edges and the joints, etc. -- but the calf is still healthy and vibrant. The leaves within have occasional soiling, but the contents read as mostly clean, the plates are bright and vivid. The coloring. which we believe is contemporary (of the time of the book's issuance) was done skillfully and tastefully. (Inventory #: 20366)