(1885) Boxed Roman BOOK of HOURS with Noble Provenance

We are offering here a scarce Roman Catholic "Book of Hours" from 1885 with Frontispiece, Engraved title page, 25 engraved plates and 5 engraved chapter titles, plus an additional vellum front free endpaper with two Coat of Arms in Color & Gilt. All 516 pages richly illuminated and illustrated by famous French engravers A. Queyroy and A. Gusman. Pages/text block from high quality woven paper.

Bound in an unique brown Morocco leather binding with Fleur-de-Lys Symbols embossed in gilt to the boards and spine. Binding signed to the spine by Lesort. Very rich decorated front and rear paste-down with gilt frames and bordeaux Moirée silk. Free endpapers also accompanied by bordeaux Moirée silk. Stylised gilt monogram initials "H.P(ompery)" and gilt crown to the front paste-down. Sold together with an original custom-made wooden box with metal lock mechanism and red satin interior. Wooden box signed inside the box cover by famous French printing and publishing house Lesort. Monogram Initials "H.P(ompery)" with Royal Crown embossed to the box cover.

NOBLE PROVENANCE - With an additional vellum front free endpaper with two Coat of Arms in Color & Gilt (the one from the left is from the noble French house of Philippe de POMPERY (Pompery Pompry Champagne Bretagne); another Coat of Arm from the right is unknown to us). Two Coats of Arms on vellum are surrounded by: Royal Crown on the top, two Golden Lyons to the each side; and gilt fleurons at the bottom.

Note on the Pompery family, in the family papers: "We have an original document stating that Olivier de Pompery having been obliged to prove his nobility proved five generations going back to Philippe de Pompery, lord of Acy en Multien. In this document, it is said (1666): 'The defendant will not stop to seek the immemorial origin of the nobility of the family from which he descended, nor to describe the generous actions of his predecessors who have always corresponded to the glory and dignity of their quality of noble nor to the marks of public esteem that they acquired by their prudence and by their valor, without any of them ever having deviated, but have always from father to son lived as true gentlemen, he will be content to point out to the Court, etc.'. Philippe de Pompery possessed this fief of Pompery, as lord in all and part of Vanderesse, located far from the county of Acy. In any case, this name has been hereditary for several centuries. Such are the documents proving the family's nobility decrees. As for the titles, the title of squire, of knight appear."

"Heures Romaines"; Tours, Alfred Mame et Fils, 1885; Size of the book: 15,8 x 12,5 cm; Size of the wooden box: 20 x 17,5 x 5,8 cm; Brown Morocco leather binding. Binding embossed by gilt Fleur-de-Lys symbols. Spine with five raided bands. Gilt title to the spine. All page edges gilt; Text in French; Collation complete - Vellum free endpaper with gilt & color Coats of Arms, [6], False title, Frontispiece, Engraved title page, [20], 516 pages, [8]; Full Morocco leather binding is tight and firm, overall in pristine condition, with insignificant wears/traces of use. Pages/Text block in also immaculate condition, clean and bright, no foxing or marks throughout. Overall the condition of the book is NEAR FINE. Wooden box is in very good condition, with some traces of use to the exterior, but whole, strong and stabile; interior is in excellent condition.