Esther Tragedie Tiree de l'Escriture Sainte. Jean Racine. Paris: Claude Barbin, 1689, 12mo, a.e.g.
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FIRST EDITION in duodecimo, published the same year as the quarto edition with the privilege shared between the two respective printers of the 12mo and 4tos, thus being the second edition overall. Bound in a magnificent full red morocco binding very finely tooled in gilt by Charles Petit who was the successor to Alphonse Simier. An excellent addition to any collection of very fine bindings.
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Provenance:
Bookplate of Caroline and Hudson Poole to front pastedown, circa the early 20th century.
Sold by Bernard Rosenthal in 1985 to the Brooker collection (Bibliotheca Brookeriana).
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Size: 94 x 159 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[(4), ã6, ẽ2, A-G8, H1, (4)]
19th century full red morocco, finely tooled in gilt with floral motifs, all edges gilt. Binding very slightly rubbed along the joints with some very minor shelf wear, but generally in fine condition. Textually collates as complete, but lacks the original blanks at the rear (i.e. H2-4), each end supplemented with four 19th century blanks. Bookplate to front pastedown, preliminary blank with small binder stamp of Charles Petit, some light pencil inscriptions to blanks at each end, presumably from Bernard Rosenthal. Text block uniformly toned, but clean throughout, the full text being legible without loss of sense. A very good copy in a magnificent binding.
[Guibert 93, 2; Tchemerzine, V, 348; Répertoire du théâtre français imprimé 1600-1699, no. 8946 (this copy cited)].
