Histoire de l'origine et des prémiers progrès de l'imprimerie
La Haye [The Hague]: chez la veuve Le Vier, et Pierre Paupie, 1740.
First edition, two parts in one volume, together with two extracts from the Journal des Sçavans for February-March 1741 (a two-part review of the work, unsigned) bound in at end. Collates [2 ll.], 1 l. (half-title), 1 l. (frontispiece), 1 l. (title), pp. v-xii, 1-118; 1 l. (title second part), pp. 3-152; 1 l. (title Journal, Fevrier 1741), pp. 67-80; 1. l. (title Journal, Mars 1741), pp. 131-131, [2 ll.]. Bigmore & Wyman II, 22-23; Brunet III, 1398.
[and:] [MERCIER DE SAINT-LÉGER, Barthélemy]
Supplément à l'histoire de l'imprimerie; [with:]
a copy of the second edition of the Supplément (“Edition
revue & augmentée …”)
Paris: Ph. D. Pierres, 1773, 1775.
First edition of Mercier's Supplément to Marchand's Histoire, bound with the second, enlarged edition. Collates [2 ll.], 1 l. (frontispiece), 1 l. (title), pp. 3-55; 1 l. (title second edition), pp. iii-viii, 1-221, [1], [2 ll.]. Bigmore & Wyman II, 38 (second edition only).
Together, four parts in two quarto volumes (both 267 x 212 mm overall, the pages 260 x 199 and 256 x 199 mm). Late 18th-century French calf, spines decorated in gilt in six compartments, black morocco lettering-pieces, triple-ruled covers, gilt-rolled edges and dentelles, all edges cut and speckled red, marbled endpapers. Joints rubbed and starting to split, wear and nicks at heads and feet of spines, points of corners worn, other slight edgewear, slight scuffing and staining on covers, negligible infrequent foxing, overall fine internally, the book blocks tight and strong, the pages beautifully printed on fine, bright laid paper. Histoire: engraved allegorical frontispiece to by J. C. Schley, title in red and black with engraved vignette, engraved allegorical head-piece on first text page, woodcut text ornaments and a few reproductions of printers' devices. Supplément: extra-illustrated with folding engraved frontispiece-portrait by G. Benoist after Guillaume Voiriot, woodcut head- and tail-pieces. The folding portrait of Mercier (platemark 337 x 239 mm), bound in as frontispiece, was evidently printed for a folio work.
This handsome set of Marchand's important history of printing is uniformly
bound with a substantial contemporary review and both its supplements,
described as “an indispensable sequel” by Bigmore & Wyman.
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Price: $1,750
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