Eric Chaim Kline, Bookseller

Almanach Royal, Année MDCCLXXXI Présenté à Sa Majesté pour la première fois en 1699 [Binding by Pierre-Paul Dubuisson]

D'Houry, Laurent (ed.)

Orléans: Laurent D'Houry, 1781. First edition. Hardcover. Octavo. 669pp. Original red Morocco with gilt Plaque de Dubuisson of Charles d'Esmangart* and intricate gilt tooling, gilt framed fleur-de-lis on covers and spine, gilt lettering and tooling on spine; five raised bands. Gilt edges. Blue endpapers. Royal emblem on title page. Green ribbon marker.

Prepared for Charles-François-Hyacinthe d'Esmangart, Lord of Montigny, des Bordes, de Feynes, and Pierrerue, among others, appointed director of the grand theater of Guyenne, Bordeaux, 1770–1775, and, due to a conflict with Richelieu, became the director of the Generality of Caen from 1775–1783, then of Flanders and d'Artois in Lille (1783–1789), and becoming an advisor to king Louis XVI.

At the outset in 1700 the Almanach was a calendar including astronomical events, fairs, currencies, etc. It developed over time to include a list of knights (1705), the members of the royal family of France, the princes, crown officers, clerics, abbots, marshals of France, ambassadors and consuls, bankers, etc., and stood abreast of scientific advances. Text in French. Light wear long edges, very light scuffing at front joint. Remnants of removed paper on inside front cover. One inch closed tear at top of front free endpaper. Very good condition. Item #47167

* "Manuel de l'Amateur de Reliures Armoriées Francaises" by Eugène Olivier, Georges Hermal and Capitaine R. de Roton.

Price: $2,000.00