FRANÇAIS PEINTS PAR EUX-MÊMES (LES), nineteenth-century mora - Lot 71

FRANÇAIS PEINTS PAR EUX-MÊMES (LES), nineteenth-century moral encyclopedia. - Le Prisme. Paris: L. Curmer, 1840-1841. - 9 volumes in-8, frontispiece, (2 ff.), XVI, 380 pp., (4 ff.), 47 plates ; frontispiece, (3 ff.), XVIII, 376 pp., (4 ff.), 48 plates; frontispiece, (3 ff.), xl, 352 pp., (4 ff.), 48 plates; frontispiece, (3 ff.), 392pp., (5 ff.), 49 plates; frontispiece, (3 ff.), CVII, 376 pp..., (5 ff.), 63 plates; frontispiece, (3 ff.), 392 pp, (4ff.), 49 plates; frontispiece, (3 ff.), VIII, 396 pp, (4 ff.), 50 plates; frontispiece, (3 ff.), VIII, 460 pp, (5 ff.), 37 pp, (1 f.), 53 plates, 1 map; (2 ff.), 480 pp, printed covers. Red half calf with corners, gilt fillets, spine ribbed and decorated, untrimmed (Naz. Marlière). Carteret, III, pp. 245-251. First edition of THE MOST IMPORTANT EDITORIAL ENTERPRISE BY CURMER, who for the occasion surrounded himself with a host of some of the best-known authors of the time (Balzac, La Bédollière, Couailhac, Soulié, Nodier, Delord, Lavallée, Karr, de Beauvoir, Théophile Gautier, Janin, Briffault, Gozlan, etc.) and the best artists (Gavarnier, Gautier, Gautier, etc.).) and top artists (Gavarni, Daumier, Charlet, Daubigny, Emy, Isabey, Tony Johannot, Pauquet, Monnier, Traviès, Trimolet, Meissonier, etc.). The edition comprises 5 volumes devoted to Parisians, 3 volumes to the provinces and a supplementary volume entitled Le Prisme. The set is illustrated with 8 frontispieces, more than 1,500 vignettes and 407 hors-texts, wood-engraved after the artists mentioned above, with the exception of the portrait of Napoleon in volume 5, etched by Louis Trimolet after a composition by Horace Vernet. There is also a double-page map of France at the head of the 3rd volume of the Province. A first edition and first issue copy, including the first two volumes dated 1840. EXEMPLAIRE COMPRISING ALL COLOR ENGRAVINGS, in good color with bright colors and touches of gum. Only the portrait of Napoleon in volume 5 of Les Parisiens is in black. A fine copy in a period binding signed Naz Malière. Spine slightly faded, slight wear, some corners a little dulled. Scattered foxing and a few slightly browned leaves. Provenance: Philos Montoy, with his bookplate engraved by Andrada. - Heraldic bookplate.