447 - LA FONTAINE (Jean de). Tales and Short Stories in Verse. Amsterdam [Paris], n.p. [Barbou], 1762.

LA FONTAINE (Jean de). Tales and Short Stories in Verse. Amsterdam [Paris], n.p. [Barbou], 1762. 2 volumes, in-8 (178 x 118 mm), red morocco, decorated ribbed spine, title and volume number in gold, place and date at the tail, triple gold fillet framing the covers with gold fleurons in the spandrels, interior lace, edges gilt on marbled paper (Allo). 2 vols. in-8, comprising XIV-(2)-268-[2]-8 pp., 1 portrait and 39 illustrations; (2)-VIII-(2)-306-(4) pp., pp. [9]–16, 1 portrait and 41 illustrations. The so-called “Fermiers-généraux” edition, which concludes with five tales not by La Fontaine, namely: “The Seamstress,” “The Gascon,” and “The Jug” by Autereau; “To Promise Is One Thing, to Keep a Promise Is Another” by Vergier; and “The Nightingale,” attributed either to Lamblin or to Du Trousset de Valincourt. The illustrations consist of 2 portraits (La Fontaine after Rigaud, engraved by Ficquet, and Eisen after Vispré, engraved by Ficquet), 80 figures by EISEN, engraved by Aliamet, Baquoy, Choffard, Delafosse, Flipart, Lemire, Leveau, de Longueil, and Ouvrier, as well as 4 vignettes and 53 end-piece illustrations by Choffard, the last of which features his portrait. "Among the illustrated books of the 18th century, this edition of La Fontaine’s fables—known as the ‘Farmers-General’ edition because they footed the bill—is the one that is, on the whole, the most beautiful and the most delightful; it is, moreover, Eisen’s masterpiece." (Cohen, 558; Tchemerzine, III, 863; Rothschild, 925.) A superb copy in a fine imitation binding signed by Hardy, with the illustrations exposed.