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12mo (123 x 67 mm) 366 pp., 1 nn.l. (errata). Light brown morocco, triple gilt filet on covers, central medaillion composed of four specila tools sided by crowned lions, and with a special too depicting the sun with a crown on top and bottom, floral corner peices, spine gilt with raised bands, spine with alternating lettering pieces in red morocco, inside couvers doublé in red morocco with a large decorative gilt border including Luc-Antoine’s trademark, the spcial tool of the sun, marbled and gilt edges.
1 in stock
Quentin-Bauchart, I, 269 ff.
First edition of the French translation; no copy of an English edition is known to exist.
The Histoire secrète des règnes des rois Charles II et Jacques II is a response to the booklepy Véritable portrait de Guillaume Henry de Nassau published the same year by Arnauld. It was at the end of 1688 that William III of Orange landed in England and took power, while King James II fled and took refuge with his cousin Louis XIV, who welcomed him in France, where he lived in exile until his death.
A very fine copy in a luxurious binding that tradition has long attributed to Madame de Maintenon. It through recent research that we now know that the signature of Duvivier signature on the title now confirms that these “archaïc” bindings were made for a group of eminent collectors including Jérôme Crespin du Vivier, known as Duvivier. This precious volume later entered the library of La Malmaison, and it is likely that the historical interest of the work, including William of Orange’s conquest of England, attracted the emperor’s attention.
Some overall uniform toning.
Provenance: Duvivier – Bibliothèque de La Malmaison (stamp on the title) – Hans Fürstenberg (bookplate).
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