(1860) Christian "Book of Hours" with 208 Chromolithographs
We are offering here an exquisite French Christian Catholic devotional book "Selected Book of Hours for Christian Ladies" from 1860, taken from manuscripts from the 12th to the 17th Century. Bound in a bordeaux sheepskin leather binding with Gilt Monogram C.B. to the front both board. Lovely decorated front and rear paste-down with gilt fleurons and white Moirée silk. Free endpapers accompanied by white Moirée silk.
With engraved chromolithograph title and 4 full-page chromolithograph engravings in color & gilt. All 208 text pages richly illustrated and illuminated by A. Leroy with a different chromolithographic frame in color & gilt for each page and several chapter headers. Superb illuminations in chromolithographies inspired by medieval "Book of Hours". Letters, decorations and miniatures copied in ancient manuscripts; The text is framed with many different decorations: foliage, flowers, birds, dragons, insects, etc. All pages are printed in chromolithography on strong high quality "Japanese" paper.
"HEURES CHOISIES des DAMES CHRETIENNES; Tire des manuscrits du XIIe au XVIIe siecle provenant du cabinet de Mr. H. Baudot, à Dijon"; Paris, L. Lesort, 1860; Bordeaux sheepskin leather binding. Gilt monogram C.B. to the front both board and gilt title to the spine. Spine with five rised bands. All page edges gilt; Size of the book: 15,5 x 13,5 cm (6.1" x 5.3"); Text in French; Collation complete - (3) blank leafs, chromolithograph title page, engraved chromolithograph title, 208 chromolithograph pages with 4 chromolithograph plates, (3) blank leafs; Full leather binding is strong, tight and firm, overall in very good condition. Minor bumping and surface scuffings to the extremities, a few negligible surface scratches/scuffings to boards and spine and few minor discoloration dots. Pages/Text block in very good condition, very clean and bright, no any marks or foxing throughout, but there are some pages with smudged fingerprints to the white margins. One leaf starting loose at the top. Overall the condition of the book is VERY GOOD.