RONSARD (Pierre de).

Les Quatre premiers livres des Odes. Paris, Veuve Maurice de La Porte, 1555. - Le Cinqieme des Odes [sic]. Paris, Veuve Maurice de La Porte, 1553. 2 works in one volume, in-8, white calf, framed with three gilded fillets, in the center set off by a semé of gilded flowers, large oval cartouche decorated with interlacing, motifs in spandrels, traces of ties, ornate spine, gilded edges, modern tan calf folder and box (Binding of the period). A very precious volume containing all five books of the Odes collection, preserved in a sumptuous 16th-century gilt white calf binding. Exceptional condition for early editions of French poetry, especially those by the prince of French poets. The volume was put together by an amateur of the period, who collected the following editions: - Les Quatre premiers livres des Odes, 1555. Third edition, containing 21 new pieces. The famous odelette à Cassandre Mignonne, allon voir si la rose..., which originally appeared as an appendix in the 1553 edition of Les Amours, has been given pride of place here by Ronsard, who inserted it into the first book, becoming ode XV. According to J. P. Barbier-Mueller, this is a copy of the intermediate state between the two editions reported by Pereire: the collector has carefully described it and renamed it state b. - Le Cinquième livre des Odes, 1553. Second edition, the first published separately, of the fifth and last book of the Odes collection, which appeared after the Amours of 1552. It contains 9 new pieces. A 4th state copy, described by J. P. Barbier-Mueller as state d. This fifth book opens with the Harangue que fait le Duc de Guise aus soudars de Mez, le iour qu'il pensoit avoir l'assaut, a most eloquent and fiery piece of military exhortation (cf. cat. Berès, Des Valois à Henri IV, n°298). Early handwritten bookplate on the title of the first work: Thomas Mayne. From the Michel de Bry library (1966, no. 185). Fine, wide-margined copies. The binding is superb, although it has lost some of its lustre: it is distinguished by the magnificent, large cartouche with interlace decoration stamped on its boards, which lends it supreme elegance. The binding is very rubbed, with minor restoration to the corners and upper head, and the upper hinge is cracked over the height of two boxes. J. P. Barbier-Mueller, II-1, n°17 and n°13. - N. Ducimetière, Mignonne..., p. 38, binding reproduced. - Diane Barbier-Mueller, Inventaire..., n°686 and 681.