(1860) Christian "Gothic Book of Hours" with 200 Chromolithographs
We are offering here an exquisite French Christian Catholic devotional book "New Gothic Hours", taken from the manuscripts of the National and Private Libraries. This richly illustrated and illuminated Christian work is consisted of 200 illustrated pages (including 8 full-page engraved plates) individually mounted on guards and chromolithographed in Color & Gilt. Writen in French and Latin, this scarce work contains Prayers, The Holy Mass, Sunday Vespers, The Antiphons of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Wedding Mass.
Bound in a maroon Morocco leather binding, with richly decorated front and rear paste-down by color & gilt ornamentations and framed with gilt fleurons embossed to the leather. Free endpapers also accompanied by color & gilt ornamentations.
All 200 pages richly illustrated and illuminated with a different chromolithographs in color & gilt; Including the chromolithograph frontispiece, 4 full-page chromolithograph engravings, 4 full-page chromolithograph chapter titles and 4 chromolithograph chapter headers. Superb illuminations in chromolithographies taken from Medieval Manuscripts and Books of Hours. Letters, decorations and miniatures taken from ancient manuscripts; The text is framed with many different decorations: foliage, flowers, birds, dragons, figures, etc. All pages are printed in chromolithography on strong high quality cardboard.
"Nouvelles Heures Gothiques d'après les Manuscrits des Bibliothèques Nationales et Particulières."; Paris, Leroy, Secail & Cie, no date (1860, by references); Maroon Morocco leather binding with gilt title to the spine. Spine with five rised bands. All page edges gilt ; Size of the book: 16,2 x 13,8 cm (6.4" x 5.4"); Text in French; Collation complete - Free endpaper, (1) blank leaf, Chromolithograph frontispiece, Chromolithograph title page, CXCIV (194 chromolithograph pages including 8 chromolithograph plates), (2) pages of the "Table of Contents" ("Table des Matieres") framed by stylised chromolithography frame, (4) pages of the Appendix ("Appendice"), (1) blank leaf, free endpaper; Full leather binding is strong, tight and firm, overall in excellent condition, with minor rubbing and discoloration, a few negligible surface scratches and scuffings and minor bumping to the extremities. Pages/Text block in immaculate condition, clean and very bright, no any marks or foxing throughout, only a slight yellowing. Overall the condition of the book is NEAR FINE.