PORTALIS (Roger) - BÉRALDI (Henri). - Lot 82

PORTALIS (Roger) - BÉRALDI (Henri). Les Graveurs du dix-huitième siècle. Paris : Damascène Morgand, Charles Fatout, 1880-1882. - 3 volumes in 12 in-8, 242 x 170, red morocco, gilt fillet and roulette, gilt foliage motif at corners, ornate ribbed spine, inner gilt lace, marbled paper double endpapers, gilt edges, cover preserved (Lanscelin). Original edition of this exhaustive reference study on the history of 18th-century engraving. Unique copy, one of 50 on Whatman paper (no. 32), bound in 12 volumes and enriched with over 580 original engravings, some mounted on Whatman paper, each placed in the corresponding engraver's note. Many are special proofs (pure etching, avant la lettre, on chine, etc.). Among the most noteworthy items in this copy is a unique proof of the portrait of Mirabeau, engraved by Copia (tome I, second part, II, p. 590), as well as an original color drawing attributed to Debucourt, although unsigned (ibidem, p. 692). Destined for Léopold Carteret (1873-1948), bookseller and art publisher, this copy was carefully bound by Lanscelin. Each volume comprises four separate volumes. The second, third and fourth volumes of each set are embellished with a false title and a hand-calligraphed title. In addition, the second and fourth volumes include a handwritten table of engravings. Although each piece listed in the tables is accompanied by a price, the number of engravings listed exceeds the number of pieces actually bound. However, the missing engravings were never included in this copy. Very well preserved. Provenance: Léopold Carteret, with bookplate bearing the motto "Admirer pour produire".