295 - UZANNE (Octave). Modern, Artistic, and Whimsical Bookbinding.

UZANNE (Octave). Modern, Artistic, and Whimsical Bookbinding. A remarkable copy of this bibliophilic study by Octave Uzanne, in a splendid mosaic binding by Georg Collin. Paris, Edouard Rouveyre, 1887. Small quarto (180x260 mm), light brown morocco, spine with cold-stamped raised bands, triple framing with gilt corner tools between the raised bands, front cover adorned with a rich gilt and colored mosaic decoration depicting beautiful bookbindings arranged on a pedestal and accompanied by a bamboo stalk, triple and double gilt fillets framing the back cover, inner band of the same light brown morocco set with a decoration of solid and dotted fillets, friezes, and gilded corner ferrules; linings and endpapers of embroidered silk with a floral design in gold, red, and sky blue; in a bordered slipcase (Georg Collin). 263 pages, 2 unnumbered folios (table of contents, “printed”), and VIII (Index of Plates), 1 frontispiece engraved by Manesse after Albert Lynch, 72 plates of single-tone photographic reproductions with captions, allegorical drawings by J. Adeline, G. Fraipont, and A. Giraldon placed as headpieces and initials. Fragile spine on the front cover (split over 17 cm), scuffing along the edges and on the raised bands, slight scratches on the back cover. A fascinating bibliophilic study of modern bookbinding by Octave Uzanne, adorned with a frontispiece engraved by Manesse after Albert Lynch, 72 plates showing beautiful bindings reproduced from the originals by Albert Dujardin, and several allegorical drawings by J. Adeline, G. Fraipont, and A. Giraldon. Limited edition of 500 numbered copies on vellum (No. 69). Two bookplate vignettes on the first blank endpaper: one by Margarete Litten and one by Cornelius J. Hauck, a prominent American collector whose library was sold at auction by Christie’s in 2006. A magnificent copy, bound in Berlin by Georg Collin, son of the bookbinder Wilhelm Collin and the last “royal bookbinder” to the German emperor.