BERNARDIN DE SAINT-PIERRE (Jacques-Henri) Lot n° 2

Paul and Virginia. Paris, L. Curmer, 1838. 3 parts in one volume large in-8, long-grained blue half-maroquin with corners, smooth spine richly decorated with gold fillets, rocaille and dotted irons, untrimmed, cover and spine (Mercier, succ. de Cuzin). Famous edition considered as one of the most beautiful productions of the Romantic period. Preceded by a preface by Sainte-Beuve, the work, which was long and costly to produce, contributed shortly afterwards to the bankruptcy of its publisher, Léon Curmer. The illustration includes, apart from the text, a colour map on glued china, 7 portraits on steel printed on vellum and 29 figures on wood on glued china and, in the text, 450 wood vignettes by the most romantic draftsmen and engravers, such as Tony Johannot, Meissonier, Paul Huet, Isabey, etc. Beautiful and precious copy, from the very first edition, with the silk paper snakes bearing the printed captions, containing the portrait of the Young Bramine before the star and the portrait of the Good Woman. It also contains the portrait of the Young Bramine before the star and the portrait of the Good Woman: the portrait of Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, before the sphere and before any letter, on mounted china; the English portraits of Madame de La Tour and the Doctor on mounted china; the portrait of Virginia with full margins on mounted china; the portrait of Paul with wide margins on mounted tinted china; the doctor's portrait in artist's proof, with the 1838 vintage, on mounted china; a very rare suite on china stealing woodcuts out of the text; the cover of the edition, another blue cover without the squares and finally that of the Gallery of Portraits for Paul and Virginia. From the Georges Lainé library (1962, n°29). Large copy of margins, untrimmed, in perfect condition.