ROSA OF PARIS-BINDING

(VARIOUS AUTHORS).

Choix Décennal de Poésies légeres Depuis l'an 1800.

Paris, Chez P. Blanchard... et ROSA, Relieur-Libraire, Rue de Bussy No 15, 1810. 8vo. Bound in a beautiful contemporary dark green full calf binding with richly gilt spine and boards. Gilt title to spine. Edges of boards and all edges gilt. Gilt inner dentelles. Gilt vermiculé-pattern enclosed by floral borders to boards. Some wear to extremeties. Insignificant crack to upper capital. Front inner hinge a bit weak. Internally clean. Engraved frontispiece and title-page. (2),298 pp.

A lovely work bound in an absolutely splendid binding with exquisite signature vermiculé-giling by ROSA. Together with Bizouard, Bozerian, Tessier, Simier, Lefebvre, Doll, Rosa supplied bindings for the Imperial household. His bindings are now quite scarce.

The work is a compilation of lovely poems that appeared under the Consulate and the Empire. Several of the pieces are related to political matters and/or pay tribute to Napoleon. The lovely frontispiece presumably depicts Napoleon in the shape of Apollon.

"He [i.e. Rosa] was a well-known publisher of calendars, almanachs, and other small gift books as well as a binder. He appears in the 1809 Almanachs. His work can be seen in Magg's Bros. Ltd., Catalogue 661, 17, and Schiff Collection (S. de Ricci, French signed bindings, III, 215-217). His address was Bussy 15; he may have been working as early as 1791 (C. Ramsden, French Bookbinders, p. 178)." (The British Library Database of Bookbindings).

Order-nr.: 58311