1764 - Holy Week Of The King's House - Engravings By Scotin

THE OFFICE OF HOLY WEEK, FOR THE USE OF THE KING'S HOUSE, in Latin and French, in Paris, M. DCC. LXIV.

Very nice volume, collated complete: 688 pages including Preface, body of the text and Privilege of the King in fine + Four engravings outside the text, engraved intaglio by Jean-Baptiste Scotin (1678-1740), great royal engraver.
In-8 format (12 x 20 cm). Binding full black shagreen. Joints, headcaps in good condition, corners and covers slightly rubbed, smooth spine with gilt title "Holy Week" and blind markings. Gilt fillets on the edges of the covers. This binding is later than the work: from the 19th century : Pretty bookplate of Countess F. De La Villegontier (Marie-Caroline Frain De La Villegontier, 1844-1909, wife of Count Gérard Frain De La Villegontier), noble family of Brittany. The azure coat of arms with a silver chevron, accompanied at the top by two ox heads and at the bottom by a crescent of the same.
The shield is stamped with a Count's crown supported by two savages, lintel and legend at the foot of the shield. The vignette is a copper engraving.

Double interest for this well-bound work: . The mention "for the use of the Maison du Roi" associated with the "Ordinary Printer of the King, of the Cabinets, House & Buildings of His Majesty" demonstrates that such a copy was offered by the royal family, regularly made by one of the ladies of the Court to guests. The later provenance of the De La Villegontier family of the 19th century.
Fresh interior, despite some foxing from use due to time. All edges gilded. Two printer's pagination errors, as happened regularly, but the text is very continuous. Very easy to handle this beautiful collector's work.