Stilb G (1 results)

First editions. First editions. Two works bound in one volume. Contemporary half leather over marbled paper boards; smooth spine ruled in gilt and lettered, signed Duchemin. Detailed French manuals of cotillon and salon dances, with diagrams and figures, inscribed to professional dance teachers. Composite instructional volume combining a detailed manual of the cotillon with a separate treatise on salon dances by G. Stilb, professeur de danse at the Opéra. The first work is structured as a practical guide to cotillon figures, arranged by formations (for one or two couples; three or four couples; larger groups), and includes numerous named figures (e.g. La Surprise, Les Noms des Fleurs, Collin-Maillard, La Main chaude), with diagrams indicating positions, movements, and sequences. A second part treats figures with accessories and their distribution, reflecting the theatrical and improvisational character of the cotillon. The accompanying Danses de salon provides a more general manual of contemporary ballroom repertoire, with sections on polka, mazurka, schottische, waltz (for two and for multiple couples), galop, boston, quadrilles, and related forms, preceded by instructions on posture, etiquette, and the conduct of dancers. Together, the two works form a coherent pedagogical toolkit for late nineteenth-century dance instruction. Such publications document the codification of social dance at a moment when the cotillon functioned as both a choreographed and socially interactive form, combining fixed figures with performative variation. The emphasis on structured sequences and visual diagrams situates the volume within a professional teaching context. The copy is enriched by an autograph inscription from the Stilb to Mr and Mrs Louis, dance instructors in Rennes. Loosely inserted is the visiting card of E. Saint-Louis, identifying the recipient and further documenting his professional activity within the milieu of dance instruction and choreography. . Boards somewhat rubbed, spine slightly faded and with minor wear at head and foot. Marbled endpapers. Text block clean, with occasional light spotting; paper toned. Overall sound and well preserved. Two works bound in one volume. Contemporary half leather over marbled paper boards; smooth spine ruled in gilt and lettered, signed Duchemin. Signed.