FABLE BOOKS -- LA FONTAINE, J. de. Fables choisies. Par., Printed for Dessaint & Saillant (&) Durand by Ch.-A. Jombert, 1755-59. 4 vols. (4), xxx, xviii, 124; (4), ii, 135; (4), iv, 146; (4), ii, 188 pp. W. (the often lacking) front.-portr. of J.B. Oudry by J. Tardieu, engr. front. in honour of De La Fontaine, and 275 full-p. engr. after J.B. Oudry. Fol. Cont. marbled cf., spines w. raised bands, gold dec. & brown letterpieces, sides & edges discreetly ruled in gold, a.e.g. (All vols. w. wear at extremities, joints delicate, sides chafed, vol. 4 w. wormholes through the spine & w. light waterstaining in lower right corner and wormholes in the inner margin, tear in plate 181 (does not run into image), plate 188 partly loose, name entry DJuttingay on French title-pp., otherwise a clean & well-preserved set).
One of the finest examples of French 18th c. book illustration to which the best engravers of the time contributed such as Aubert, Aveline, Prévost, Radigues, Riland, Cars, Cochin, Dupuis, Fessard, Legrand, a.m.o. Copy on "papier moyen de Hollande", plate for "Le singe et le léopard" in its lettered state (vol. III, p. 113). Sander 1065; Cohen/de R. 548-50; Després, Bibl. des livres de fables de La Fontaine illustrées, 20; cf. A.-M. Bassy. Les Fables de La Fontaine. Quatre siècles d'illustration (1986).€ 2000
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