Paul et Virginie

Famous illustrated edition with nearly 450 wood-engraved vignettes, 29 plates printed on China paper, and 7 steel-engraved portraits after T. Johannot, Meissonnier, Iasbey, P. Huet.
Full bottle-green shagreen binding, smooth spine decorated with blind-ruled frame, gilt rocaille arabesque motifs and gilt bird and butterfly ornaments; gilt roulettes on headcaps; boards decorated with quadruple frame of gilt and blind fillets, gilt rocaille arabesque motifs and small gilt rose-branch ornaments applied in the corners; gilt roulette frame on pastedowns, central gilt bilobed cartouche enriched at angles with gilt romantic ornaments, gilt dentelle frame on pastedowns, white watered silk endpapers and pastedowns, gilt fillet on leading edges, all edges gilt, some minor scratches on leading edges, elegant contemporary romantic binding signed by Rivage.
Our copy is complete with its map of Ile-de-France by Dyonnet and the two so-called "English" portraits.
The title is in first printing with the address 25 rue Sainte-Anne, the portrait of the "Bonne femme" is not engraved on page 418.
Some foxing.
Handsome copy of this landmark book, one of the finest achievements of romantic illustration, in a perfect romantic binding by Laurent.