Les Memoires de Messire Philippe de Commines, Sr. d'Argenton.
A Leide: chez les Elzevirs, 1648.
Price: $1,650.00
About the item
First Elzevier edition. Engraved title [24],765,[19]pp. 1 vols. 12mo (13.3 x 7.5 cm.). Beautifully bound in 19th century polished claret red crushed levant, with spine and corners richly tooled in gilt, with a intricately gilt center ornament of inlaid black morocco, gilt inner dentelles, a.e.g., by Duru (dated 1850). Three bookseller's descriptions tipped to binders blank, some minor foxing, but a very near fine copy. With the bookplate of Thomas Westwood and of Ex Musaeo PIN (Elzéar)-Stern. Rahir 630; Brunet II:191. Willems 634.
Item #311279
The celebrated memoirs of the foremost French Renaissance historian (1445-1509), notable as an important analysis of 15th century culture, politics and personality. "...The graphic style of his narrative and above all the keenness of his insight into the motives of his contemporaries, an insight undimmed by undue regard for principles of right and wrong, make this work one of the great classics of history" - ENCYC. BRITANNICA.
"Authoritative [and] rare...printed in Paris probably by Le Gras" - Rostenberg & Stern, THE HOUSE OF ELZEVIR, 27 (referencing this edition in their offering of the 1661 edition). "Jolie édition, dont les exemplaires grands de marge et bien conservés sont fort recherchés" - Brunet.
