Peter Bichsel   Fine Books

Mariette, Pierre-Jean. Traité des pierres gravées. 2 vols.

With 2 engr. titles, engr. dedication leaf in vol. I, 6 engr. vignettes in the text, and 197 plates showing 259 engr. vignettes, all after drawings by Bouchardon. (5) leaves, 468, (2) pp.; (9) leaves. Small folio. Contemp. mottled calf with triple gilt fillets around covers. Spine richly gilt, edges gilt (spine ends restored, top spine end of vol. I with tear). – Paris, de l’imprimerie de l’auteur, 1750.

First and only edition of this description of carved gems in the royal cabinet of Louis XV. “This is the earliest analytical work on engraved gems and one that fully retains value even today” (Sinkankas). The engraver and passionate collector Mariette (1694–1774) was especially addicted to carved gems since he visited Vienna in 1717 where he was charged to classify the collection of Prince Eugene. “On trouve dans la seconde partie de cet ouvrage une Bibliothèque dactiliographique … et une histoire des graveurs en pierres fines” (Quérard). From the library of Felix Durosier with his armorial bookplate on first paste down. – Cohen/de Ricci 683f.; Lewine 340; Sander 1287; Brunet III, 1429 (“ouvrage éstimé”); Quérard, La France littéraire V, 536 (“Oeuvre estimée”); Ornamentstichsammlung Berlin 4269; Hoefer XXXIII, 742ff; Sinkankas 4208. – Some browning throughout, a clean copy in a valuable contemp. binding. – Best.-Nr. 5740