Lecompte Hippolyte (3 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. Quarter leather over marbled boards. Quarto. Originally published in 8vo however these illustrations are 4 to a page in a quarto. Apparently an uncut version with the 100 plates called for in the octavo version. A wonderful example of historical French costume. The subjects include Joan of Arc, Bloody Mary, Queen of Scots, Ninon de Lenclos, many French kings and queens, courtiers, mistresses, soldiers, knights, politicians and admirals from five centuries of French history. Acording to DNB, "Most of the major improvements made to lithography in Britain in the 1820'sand 30's can be attributed to Hullmandel and in this period he was also the most prolific printer of pictorial lithographs in the country." In addition to earning his living through printing, Hillmandel also worked with scientists like Michael Faraday in search of new ways to perfect the art of lithography. Images for the present work were actually executed by Hullmandel's friend George Scharf, A Bavarian born artist who was among the vanguard of lithographers operating in London. The octavo version was issued with hand colored plates. This edition is not hand colored but is uncut.

One hundred fine, hand-coloured lithographs depicting well-known personalities in various styles of French costume between 1200 and 1713. 8vo (140 x 108 mm); one hundred fine numbered hand-colored lithograph plates with legends (including pictorial title-page) drawn by George Scharf, plates 50 & 52 set slightly lower on the page. In a spectacular Bayntun signed binding of blood red calf with floral themed gilt decorations, raised bands at spine, wide gilt turn-ins. Very slightly chaffed at edges of spine, corner tips a touch bumped. The subjects include Joan of Arc, Bloody Mary, Queen of Scots, Ninon de Lenclos, many French kings and queens, courtiers, mistresses, soldiers, knights, politicians and admirals, from five centuries of French history. According to Hiler [533], the plates are reduced and reversed copies of those in Lecomte's 'Costumes Civils et Militaires de la Monarchie Française', first published in 1820 in four volumes. The present work was published as a single volume and in a smaller format by the renowned London-based printer and lithographer Charles Hullmandel (1789-1850). website. Book.

One Hundred Fine Hand Colored Lithographs Depicting French Costume Between 1200 and 1715 [LECOMPTE, Hippolyte]. SCHARF, George, artist. Costumes Francais, de 1200 à 1715. London: Printed by C. Hullmandel for Rodwell & Martin, ca. 1830. Small octavo (5 9/16 x 4 1/4 inches; 142 x 108 mm.). One hundred fine numbered hand colored lithograph plates with legends (including pictorial title-page) drawn on stone by George Scharf. Plates nos. 50 & 52 slightly shorter on lower blank margin. Handsomely bound ca. 1920 by Bayntun of Bath for C.E. Lauriat Co., Boston. Full dark red crushed morocco, covers with gilt-rule border, three gilt dots at corners, blind-tooled lances extending onto boards from raised bands. Spine with five raised bands decoratively paneled and lettered in gilt in compartments, decorative gilt board edges, gilt ruled turn-ins, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. A wonderful example of historical French costume with fine hand coloring. The subjects include Joan of Arc, Bloody Mary, Queen of Scots, Ninon de Lenclos, many French kings and queens, courtiers, mistresses, soldiers, knights, politicians and admirals, from five centuries of French history. According to Hiler, these plates are reduced and reversed copies of those in [Hippolyte Lecomte's] Costumes Civils et Militaires de la Monarchie Française, which was first published in 1820 in four volumes. The present work was published as a single volume and in a smaller format by the renowned London-based printer and lithographer Charles Hullmandel (1789-1850). According to DNB, "Most of the major improvements made to lithography in Britain in the 1820s and 1830s can be attributed to Hullmandel, and in this period he was also the most prolific printer of pictorial lithographs in the country." In addition to earning his living through printing, Hullmandel also worked with scientists like Michael Faraday in search of new ways to perfect the art of lithography. Images for the present work were actually executed by Hullmandel's friend George Scharf (1788-1860), a Bavarian-born artist who was among the vanguard of lithographers operating in London. Bobins II, 551; Colas, 1808; Hiler 533 (1820 edition); Lipperheide, 1074 (1820 edition).