EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED COPY OF WILLIAMS’ LATER QUEENS OF THE FRENCH STAGE,IN STRIKING COSWAY-STYLE BINDINGS
WILLIAMS, H. Noel. Later Queens of the French Stage. London and New York: Harper & Brothers, 1906. Expanded to two volumes. Octavo, mid-20th-century Cosway-style binding, full crushed deep rose morocco, elaborately gilt-decorated covers and spines, raised bands, two watercolor miniatures set into front covers, silk doublures, all edges gilt. Housed in custom slipcase.
First edition, extra-illustrated with numerous portraits of French actresses and the men in their lives, in masterful Cosway-style bindings, with miniatures of Sophie Arnould and Madame Dugazon set into the front covers.
Williams followed his successful Queens of the French Stage (1905) with this continuation, which includes such greats as opera singer Sophie Arnould, Mademoiselle Guimard (who sat for Fragonard) and Mademoiselle Raucourt (the most notorious lesbian of her day). This particular copy is extra-illustrated with early engravings from multiple sources, depicting the actresses and individuals who influenced their lives and careers. Beautifully bound in mid-20th-century Cosway-style bindings. Cosway bindings (named in 1909 for renowned 19th-century English miniaturist Richard Cosway) were the brainchild in 1902 of John Harrison Stonehouse, managing director of London booksellers Henry Sotheran & Company, who struck on the idea of embedding miniature paintings in the covers of richly-tooled bindings. He engaged the famous Rivière bindery to execute his idea in accordance with his own designs. Rivière brought into its employ Miss C.B. Currie with instructions to faithfully imitate Cosway’s detailed watercolor style of miniature painting. These delicate miniatures, mostly portraits, often on ivory, were set into the covers (or sometimes doublures) of fine bindings and protected by thin panes of glass. Cosway bindings executed by other than the original collaborators (Stonehouse, Sotheran, Rivière, and Currie) are designated as “Cosway-style” bindings— still amazingly artistic productions.
A superb later specimen of the fascinating art of Cosway-style binding. Fine condition.