Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, Marquise de SEVIGNE
Recueil des lettres de Madame la marquise de Sévigné a Madame la Comtesse de Grignan, sa fille
Chez Nicolas Semard • chez Rollin (volumes V and VI)|à Paris 1734|9.50 x 16.50 cm|6 volumes reliés
Edition largely in first printing, rare, decorated with a portrait of the Marquise de Sévigné in volume I and another of the Comtesse de Grignan in volume V. In the copy described by Rochebillière, volumes V and VI from 1737 are in different bindings, as is often the case. Our copy presents them in uniform binding, only the title and volume labels differ: they are in red morocco for volumes V and VI and in beige morocco for the first four volumes.
Contemporary bindings in full speckled brown sheep, raised spines richly decorated - notably with animal stamps at foot (greyhounds and knights) - title and volume labels in beige morocco for the first four volumes, in red morocco for the last two.
One lack at foot of volume VI. Discreet almost invisible restorations at head of volumes I, IV and VI, as well as at foot of volumes II, III, V. Some joints also finely restored. Eight corners slightly bumped, the others rubbed. Rubbing on some joints.
Important edition in the bibliography of first editions of the Marquise de Sévigné. Indeed, it is the first presenting a considerable number of letters (614 versus 134 for the two-volume edition of 1726) and the first authorized by the Marquise's goddaughter, Pauline de Simiane. The latter asked Perrin, a publisher from Aix-en-Provence, to establish an edition based on the manuscripts. Only the letters to the Comtesse de Grignan were retained. The 1754 edition would contain 712 letters, as it was expanded with letters to various correspondents. The manuscript letters were then destroyed after being selected according to interest and style. A very useful index at the end of volume VI allows one to find the characters scattered throughout the letters.
Fine copy.
Contemporary bindings in full speckled brown sheep, raised spines richly decorated - notably with animal stamps at foot (greyhounds and knights) - title and volume labels in beige morocco for the first four volumes, in red morocco for the last two.
One lack at foot of volume VI. Discreet almost invisible restorations at head of volumes I, IV and VI, as well as at foot of volumes II, III, V. Some joints also finely restored. Eight corners slightly bumped, the others rubbed. Rubbing on some joints.
Important edition in the bibliography of first editions of the Marquise de Sévigné. Indeed, it is the first presenting a considerable number of letters (614 versus 134 for the two-volume edition of 1726) and the first authorized by the Marquise's goddaughter, Pauline de Simiane. The latter asked Perrin, a publisher from Aix-en-Provence, to establish an edition based on the manuscripts. Only the letters to the Comtesse de Grignan were retained. The 1754 edition would contain 712 letters, as it was expanded with letters to various correspondents. The manuscript letters were then destroyed after being selected according to interest and style. A very useful index at the end of volume VI allows one to find the characters scattered throughout the letters.
Fine copy.
€3,000