by COSWAY BINDING; BLUMER, Edith Walford
London: Sampson Low, Son, and Marston, 1870. An Exquisite Cosway Binding with Two Fine Miniatures
[COSWAY BINDING]. [BLUMER, Edith Walford]. The Table Talk and Opinions of Napoleon Buonaparte. Third edition. London: Sampson Low, Son, and Marston, 1870.
Sixteenmo (5 3/4 x 3 7/8 inches; 146 x 99 mm.). [iv], [i]-iv, [1]-199, [1, blank] pp. Title-page printed in red and black and with oval portrait of Napoleon. Head and tailpieces throughout the text.
Exquisitely bound in richly gilt, full blue crushed levant morocco ca. 1920 by Rivière and Sons, binders stamp on the lower front turn-in, and that of Mrs. C.B. Currie on the rear turn-in. Front and rear covers with matching design of a gilt rule frame with leaves stamped in gilt at corners, two strips of gilt-stamped vines and leaves against an elaborate pointillé backdrop, and a central square panel of inlaid brown leather corners with gilt rules framing an inset ivory disc, diameter 2 5/8 inches; 67 mm., painted by Miss C. B. Currie, whose signature appears in gilt on the rear doublure. The full-length miniature painting on the front cover shows Napoleon II as a child, his face cherubic but his attire militaristic, kneeling in prayer. The gilt titling describes the scene… “The King of Rome” at head and “Je prie dieu pour mon Pere et pour la France” (I pray to God for my Father and for France) at foot. The miniature painting on the lower cover, also 2 5/8; 67 mm., in diameter, a half-length portrait depicting Napoleon II, likewise dressed in regalia, holding a bicorn hat, decorated with a pin and a bunch of violets. Spine with five raised bands richly gilt and lettered in gilt in compartments, gilt ruled board edges, decorative gilt turn-ins, red watered silk endleaves, all edges gilt. Housed in the original fleece-lined blue cloth slipcase. A very fine and exquisite example of a real 'Cosway Binding'.
"Miss C.B. Currie" (December 12, 1849 - April 2, 1940) was the miniaturist artist of all the genuine Cosway bindings. Born in Cornwall, England, Caroline Billin Curry was also one of the most prominent fore-edge artists in the twentieth-century. A master of the art of miniature painting, she excelled as a copyist working for Henry Sotheran Booksellers, London. She became famous for her miniature paintings applied to two art forms. First, mounted on Rivière bindings and named by her employer as "Cosway" bindings. Later she expanded her work into the art of painting on the fanned edge of a book - called a fore-edge painting. She would often take the idea for a painting from an illustration in the nook - in this case she has taken the idea from a woodcut illustration of Queen Elizabeth I (see page 101).
Provenance: Stephen Ratcliffe. Cosway Bindings [p. 30]; Swann Galleries New York, 14 January 1993, lot 277. (Inventory #: 06045)
[COSWAY BINDING]. [BLUMER, Edith Walford]. The Table Talk and Opinions of Napoleon Buonaparte. Third edition. London: Sampson Low, Son, and Marston, 1870.
Sixteenmo (5 3/4 x 3 7/8 inches; 146 x 99 mm.). [iv], [i]-iv, [1]-199, [1, blank] pp. Title-page printed in red and black and with oval portrait of Napoleon. Head and tailpieces throughout the text.
Exquisitely bound in richly gilt, full blue crushed levant morocco ca. 1920 by Rivière and Sons, binders stamp on the lower front turn-in, and that of Mrs. C.B. Currie on the rear turn-in. Front and rear covers with matching design of a gilt rule frame with leaves stamped in gilt at corners, two strips of gilt-stamped vines and leaves against an elaborate pointillé backdrop, and a central square panel of inlaid brown leather corners with gilt rules framing an inset ivory disc, diameter 2 5/8 inches; 67 mm., painted by Miss C. B. Currie, whose signature appears in gilt on the rear doublure. The full-length miniature painting on the front cover shows Napoleon II as a child, his face cherubic but his attire militaristic, kneeling in prayer. The gilt titling describes the scene… “The King of Rome” at head and “Je prie dieu pour mon Pere et pour la France” (I pray to God for my Father and for France) at foot. The miniature painting on the lower cover, also 2 5/8; 67 mm., in diameter, a half-length portrait depicting Napoleon II, likewise dressed in regalia, holding a bicorn hat, decorated with a pin and a bunch of violets. Spine with five raised bands richly gilt and lettered in gilt in compartments, gilt ruled board edges, decorative gilt turn-ins, red watered silk endleaves, all edges gilt. Housed in the original fleece-lined blue cloth slipcase. A very fine and exquisite example of a real 'Cosway Binding'.
"Miss C.B. Currie" (December 12, 1849 - April 2, 1940) was the miniaturist artist of all the genuine Cosway bindings. Born in Cornwall, England, Caroline Billin Curry was also one of the most prominent fore-edge artists in the twentieth-century. A master of the art of miniature painting, she excelled as a copyist working for Henry Sotheran Booksellers, London. She became famous for her miniature paintings applied to two art forms. First, mounted on Rivière bindings and named by her employer as "Cosway" bindings. Later she expanded her work into the art of painting on the fanned edge of a book - called a fore-edge painting. She would often take the idea for a painting from an illustration in the nook - in this case she has taken the idea from a woodcut illustration of Queen Elizabeth I (see page 101).
Provenance: Stephen Ratcliffe. Cosway Bindings [p. 30]; Swann Galleries New York, 14 January 1993, lot 277. (Inventory #: 06045)
(818) 222-4103
