280 - MICHEL (A.), Henri DONIOL, H. DURIF, and Francisque MANDET. *L'Ancienne Auvergne et Le Velay: History, Archaeology, Customs, Topography*; by Ad. Michel and a group of artists.

MICHEL (A.), Henri DONIOL, H. DURIF, and Francisque MANDET. *L'Ancienne Auvergne et Le Velay: History, Archaeology, Customs, Topography*; by Ad. Michel and a group of artists. Moulins, P.-A. Desrosiers, 1843–1847, 3 volumes of text and 1 atlas, folio, 2ff.–XXVIII–448pp. – 484pp. (including half-title & title page)-1f. - 264pp.-2ff. - 336pp. - atlas: 130 plates. Bound in 4 volumes in cherry-colored half-shagreen, spines with 5 raised bands and a gilt chain. (Contemporary bindings).—A very fresh copy, attractively bound in a shade more appealing than the usual bronze or black tones. Three or four engravings are uniformly yellowed; the others are fresh. Unfortunately, the atlas is incomplete: 18 of the plates listed in the publisher’s table are missing, but 4 that do not appear in the table have been added: “Caps and Hats,” and the portraits of Gerbert, Pius VIII, and Savaron (page numbers provided). The map is also missing. The printed table of contents is missing, replaced by an alphabetical inventory handwritten in calligraphy from that period. Wet seal of a religious congregation. Like *L’Ancien Bourbonnais*, published about a decade earlier, *L’Ancienne Auvergne et le Velay* is a lavish literary and typographical masterpiece, in the tradition of the great Romantic publishing ventures established by Baron Taylor. Upon seeing the completed work, Jules Janin is said to have exclaimed, “I thought there were no more Benedictines in France!” The first two volumes contain *Histoire de l’Auvergne* by Adolphe Michel, the project’s chief editor and author of more than half of *L’Ancien Bourbonnais*. Volume 3 is Doniol’s *Picturesque Journey through Lower Auvergne* (1847), featuring elements of natural history, extensive chapters on dialects and patois, literature and traditional arts, notable figures, castles, towns, and picturesque sites. Francisque Mandet is the author of Volume 4: *L'Ancien Velay* (1846), devoted primarily to the history of this province. It is generally bound together with the preceding volume. The atlas contains 130 plates here (out of a total of 146): 19 (including 4 in color) are line engravings by Schaal and depict decorative or architectural details. The remaining 111 are magnificent lithographs, often on tinted backgrounds and featuring figures. Drawn by Tudot, H. Durand, Bayot, Goutay, and others, they were lithographed by Mathieu, Victor Petit, Tirpenne, Sabatier, and others. and depict landscapes, ruins and castles, picturesque sites, churches, cities... The text is interspersed with headpieces, initials, and tailpieces designed by Emile Sagot and wood-engraved.