Publisher: Paris: Prault Père, 1748.

Illustration: Frontispiece engraved by J.P. Le Bas after Eisen (engraved title vignette, allegorical scene).

Edition: First edition (1748).

Binding: Contemporary mottled calf, gilt floral spine in compartments, red morocco label lettered gilt, marbled endpapers, sprinkled edges.

Description: A handsome first edition of this mid-18th century French fable collection, issued anonymously by “Mr P***.” Printed in Paris with royal privilege (Approbation & Privilège du Roi) and a finely executed engraved allegorical frontispiece by Le Bas, this work exemplifies the elegant literary culture of the ancien régime. The fables, written in verse, explore moral and social themes in the tradition of La Fontaine, but with a sharper Enlightenment-era wit that often veils political undertones.

Condition: Very Good. Binding with some edge and joint rubbing, corners worn, small losses to spine ends. Boards retain attractive mottled pattern. Interior generally clean and crisp, some occasional light toning, minor marks, a faint dampstain to a few leaves. Frontispiece fresh and well-impressed.

Annotation: Noted for its engraved frontispiece and censorial privilege statements; rare first edition of an 18th-c. French fable collection.

Item #182

Price: $350.00