BONAPARTE (LUCIEN) - Recueil de prières les plus... Lot 29

BONAPARTE (LUCIEN) - Recueil de prières les plus intéressantes, dédié aux ames pieuses, avec les hymnes et proses à l'usage de Paris et de Lyon. A Lyon, De l'Imprimerie de J.-L. Maillet, chez Ayné, 1804, in-18, (4)-232 pp., engraved frontispiece, long-grained red morocco, smooth spine decorated with pampers and a central cross in a rhombus on a riddled background, pampers framed by gilded fillets on the boards, monogram in the center, gilded fillet on the edges, inner roulette, light blue tabis endpaper also with gilded roulette, gilded edges (P. Lefebvre). Wear to two corners. A precious copy with Lucien Bonaparte's cipher, bound by one of the masters of bookbinding under the Empire. Ex-libris of Counts Venerosi Pesciolini (armorial stamp) and Michel Wittock. Books from Lucien's library are extremely rare. Given our lack of knowledge of his library, it is difficult to be absolutely certain that the monogram used is indeed Lucien's. Nevertheless, the quality of the binding and the quality of the binding are very impressive. Nevertheless, the quality of the binding and the bookbinder himself are influential in this hypothesis. A nephew of Bozérian the elder, Lefebvre practiced from 1805. He bound books for the Emperor and his closest entourage. His bindings are remarkable for their fine gilding and are highly characteristic of the Empire style. He is included in the remarkable collection of Directoire and Empire bindings in the Bibliotheca Wittockiana. Reference : Ancienne Collection Gérard Souham, pages 74-75. P. Culot, Relieurs et reliures décorées en France..., 2000, n° 130.