1781 Petit Formulaire de Prieres Avec des Reflexions sur Difefrens Sujets. Mons.

A rare printing (OCLC doesn't record this work, no copies currently listed for sale, sales records scarce, etc.), with beautiful hand painted ownership marks at the front and rear flyleaf, and a handsome contemporary binding with working hardware (clasps).

About the Work -

A collection of prayers for different occasions. This book was catalogued in Hippolyte Rousselle's bibliography of the printing history of the city of Mons (Belgium) as number 882.

About the Provenance -

The front pastedown displays a colored manuscript "AJS" monogram; an ink inscription on the flyleaf says "A livre appartient Amelie Joseph Sauvage"; I could not find Amelie, but there was a well-known Belgian book collector, Comte de Sauvage, perhaps they were related.

At the rear pastedown is a manuscript coat-of-arms of a "Van Loo." family. Dolphins support two boars heads over a mullet of six sides. I could not find matching heraldry, but it does offer the opportunity for additional arm-chair sleuthing.

Physical Attributes -

Book measures approx. 14 x 8.5 x 3 cm. Signed in (alternating) 12s and 8s. Red morocco leather binding of the period. Boards framed with a roll of flowers and outer dentelles and fillet. Spine with four raised bands; four compartments with a central floret surrounded by leaves, and one compartment with the title in gilt on black. Board edges covered in (silver?) with working clasps to shut the book. All edges gilt.

Decorated pastedowns.

Pages - 1-429, [3]

Collation - A12, B6, C12, D6, etc. through Z12. Then Aa6.

Condition -

See pictures. Prety binding with a little bit of rubbing at joints and top and bottom of spine; slightest start (.25 cm) at top front joint. (Silver?) with some tarnish. Likely kept in a bookcase, the top edge is still bright (not darkened with dust). 1st blank leaf, title page leaf, and following leaf all with chip at top corner (three leaves). Pastedowns with ex libris markings. Ex libris and bibliographic notes on verso of flyleaf (Rousselle, 882 and Amelie Joseph Sauvage). Graphite date at bottom of title page. Graphite, "Marie Amelie Van Loo" at verso of title page. A little toning throughout, with some occasional foxing. Occasional dog-eared page.