Collections Georges Hoentschel. Introduction et Notices. Volume I: Emaux du XIIe au XVe Siecle; Volume 2: Ivoires, Orfevrerie Religieuse, Pierres (2 Volumes)

Both volumes: 3/4 burgundy leather with gilt spine lettering; marbled boards. Burgundy cloth portfolio flaps built in and attached to back covers. Contents of each volume placed within portfolio. Vol 1: Title material, three bi-fold letterpress leaves with 8 pp. prefatory text, and the list of 50 plates; 50 single, color plates, matted on card stock; each preceded with a page of annotation on letterpress paper. Vol 2: Title material and bi-fold list of plates; 44 color plates, matted on card stock, each preceded with a page of annotation on letterpress paper. Oversize (elephant folios) and heavy and will require extra postage. (30 pounds / 13.6 kilos). Georges Hoentschel (1855 - 1915) was a Parisian architect, designer, ceramicist and collector. His collection was bought by J.P. Morgan, who subsequently donated it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it became the core of the museum's European Decorative Arts Collection. This beautiful set, created under Morgan's direction, is from a labor-intensive, limited edition of 100 copies. The first volume features enamels; the second, ivories, gold, and gems. The plates in Volume 1 are hand-tinted in rich, vivid colors, many with gold leaf. The plates in Volume 2 (since they are ivories and gold objects) are more subdued with lovely gravures and subtle shading. Every plate is accompanied by a full, letterpress sheet with a complete annotation of the image. All of these stunning plates are suitable for framing and would enhance any decor. Vol 1: Art museum ex-library with minimal markings; donor bookplate inside front cover (one museum to another) and call sticker on spine. Plates clean, bright, unmarked. Small stain on the left edge of the title page; crease to margin/corner of annotation for Plate 14; light rubbing to leather at front hinge. Vol 2: NOT ex-library; pages and plates clean and unmarked; some waviness at title page edges; both hinges loose; lower right front corner bumped; leather scratched and scuffed. NOT a matched pair as far as cover condition and series numbers but bound identically.…