LA FONTAINE Jean de. Contes et nouvelles. Paris,... Lot 29

LA FONTAINE Jean de. Contes et nouvelles. Paris, Barraud, 1874; 2 vols. in-8, contemporary brown morocco bindings, the boards decorated with a double frame of gilt fillets "à la du Seuil", spines decorated with the iron "à l'oiseau", lining and endpapers of purple moiré silk, inner lace and gilt edges, case (A[lexandre] Meyer). Last reprint of the famous edition known as "des Fermiers généraux" (1762, masterpiece of the 18th century figure book). Prefaced by the "Bibliophile Jacob" (Paul Lacroix), it is adorned with 85 out-of-text figures by Charles Eisen, i.e. three more than in the 1762 edition, refused by the fermiers généraux. It also contains 17 vignettes, headpieces and endpapers by Pierre-Philippe Choffard. The edition was seized in 1875 and twelve copperplates were destroyed as offending public morality.