WITH GILT ARMORIAL COAT OF ARMS OF THE DAUPHIN OF FRANCE, TALL FOLIO COMMEMORATING THE FRENCH BOURBON MONARCHY, WITH 52 ENGRAVED PLATES, INCLUDING PORTRAITS OF HENRI IV, FIRST BOURBON MONARCH, LOUIS XVI, MARIE ANTOINETTE, AND MORE

(DAUPHIN OF FRANCE). La Race des Bourbons. No place, circa 1890. Tall folio (12 by 17-1/2 inches), mid-18th-century full mottled brown calf rebacked and recornered with original elaborately gilt-decorated spine laid down, gilt arms of the Dauphin of France on covers, marbled endpapers. Housed in a custom cloth slipcase. $4500.

Large folio album, circa 1890, featuring 52 splendid engraved plates honoring the history of the French Bourbon monarchy, with copper-engraved portraits of Henry IV, the first Bourbon monarch, Marie de Medici, Louis XIV, Louis Grand Dauphin, Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette, and much more. Bound in an earlier 18th-century binding with the gilt-stamped armorial coat of arms of the Dauphin of France and decorative gilt fleur-de-lys and dolphins (for the Dauphin) at the corners of each elaborately gilt-bordered cover.

The plates in this volume trace the history of the French Bourbon monarchy from Henry IV (1589-1610), the first Bourbon monarch, to Henri, Count of Chambord, Legitimist pretender to the French throne (1844-1883). Includes portraits of: Marie de Medici, second wife of Henry IV; Louis XIV and his wife Marie-Therese of Austria, mother of the Grand Dauphin; Marie Leczinska, wife of Louis XV; Louis Dauphin of France, son of Louis XV and Marie Leczinska, and father of Louis XVI, Louis XVIII and Charles X; Marie-Thérèse of Spain, wife of Louis XIV and mother of Louis Grand Dauphin; Louis Grand Dauphin; Louis de France, Duke of Burgundy, son of Louis Grand Dauphin; Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon, second wife of Louis XIV; Maria Josepha of Saxony, Dauphine of France, wife of Louis de France, son and heir of Louis XV and mother of three French kings, including Louis XVI; Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette, Louis XVII; Henri, comte de Chambord, and many more. Also featuring engraved illustrations of Versailles and the "Testament de Louis XVI." Title page with engraved border. Containing 47 engraved plates mounted on 50 leaves, and five copper-engraved leaves. Text in French. The volume has been bound in an earlier 18th-century binding with the coat of arms of the Dauphin of France and his armorial bookplate. The practice of binding a book in an earlier binding, called "remboîtage," was popular in France. The labels on this binding are dated "Juillet 1757" and titled Menus et Ordre de Depens, suggesting a royal account book. Occasional minor marginalia to edges of plates, leaf versos. Occasional leaves with small penciled numbering at upper corners.

Plates generally fresh and clean; some rubbing, abrasions to 18th-century boards, slight loss to spine panels, binding quite sound. An extremely good folio album.