Perles et Parures, Les Joyaux, fantaisie par Gavarni, texte par Méry. Minéralogie des dames par le Cte Foelix. [suivi de] Les Parures, fantaisie par Gavarni, texte par Méry. Histoire de la mode par le Cte Foelix.

First edition, illustrated with a repeated frontispiece and 30 steel-engraved plates by Gavarni engraved by Geoffroy on China paper laid down. Printed on fine white wove paper. Blue or neutral tissue guards. Illustrated orange-tinted covers preserved (spine and back covers with advertisements also preserved).
Half lavender morocco binding with corners and long grain signed Mercier (1920) at the top of the first endpaper, in Romantic style. Spine with false raised bands richly decorated with two complex mirrored tools in each compartment, blind fillets and rolls on the bands. Separation fillets on the boards. Uncut copy, full-margined. Perfect paper freshness. Light rubbing traces, impact at foot of the Parures volume with a dent of 0.8cm.
Very handsome copy, rare in this condition.
Blue leather bookplate P. Villeboeuf, with his gilt monogram also at top of pastedowns.
Méry's texts are short stories centered around a precious stone or jewel.