255 - LA FONTAINE. DELIERRE, Auguste.

LA FONTAINE. DELIERRE, Auguste. La Fontaine’s Fables. Paris, A. Quantin, printer, 1833. 2 volumes of text and 2 volumes of original drawings, for a total of 4 volumes in large quarto (32.5 x 23 cm). Wine-colored morocco from the second half of the 19th century, decorated ribbed spine with the author’s name, title, volume number, and date in gold, gilded floral and scroll-patterned panels, gilded dots on the raised bands, triple gilded fillet framing the covers, guilloché caps, double gilded fillet on the edges, gilded lace on the inner covers, gilded edges on endpapers, each volume in a garnet half-morocco slipcase with leather flaps, faux raised bands, gilded title and volume number, the whole housed in garnet morocco slipcases with bias-cut edges [Chambolle-Duru] (a very fine copy despite some foxing on the sides and scattered throughout; the continuation print for one plate in Volume II is missing; the spines of the covers are slightly faded; one edge of the slipcase for Volume II is slightly split over 3 cm). Description: A fine copy of this magnificent illustrated edition. A precious copy printed on China paper and enriched with the original sketches used for the illustrations, each followed by the first print of the corresponding etching before the letter, mostly on applied China paper and sometimes with notes, supplemented by several proposed vignette drawings that were evidently not selected for the edition. Elegant binding, perfectly executed by Chambolle-Duru. The illustrations consist of 75 etchings, including a portrait of the author as the frontispiece of Volume II, as well as a vignette at the head of the dedication with its separate print. Limited edition of 100 copies on China or Whatman paper. This copy, no. 95 on China paper, is accompanied by a black-and-white set (with the exception of the plate opposite page 164 of Volume II). This copy is enhanced with an original sketch of each plate and the dedication header by Delierre, executed in pencil, black ink, and wash, sometimes enhanced with watercolor. That is, 76 original sketches, each followed by a first black print of the corresponding etching (except for the vignette), bound in a single volume for each tome (40 sketches and 39 engravings in one volume for Volume I, and 36 sketches and 36 engravings in another volume for Volume II). Includes a portrait of the author as the frontispiece of Volume II, not listed in the table of etchings engraved by Foulquier and printed by Berthiault in Tours; and 71 separately printed vignettes, likely drafts of the vignettes at the beginning of each volume.