Mérimée prosper

1839 · 008893 — London England: Whittaker & Co. 1839. Book. Good-VG. Half-Leather. First U.K. Edition. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. The 1839 London translation of Merimee's book originally published in French in 1830. The standard technical recipe text of the mid-19th century referred to by both Eastlake and Merrifield. First English language first English edition. Half-leather scuffed with exposure and surface loss at various points some loss at spine extremities with marbled paper over boards four raised bands lettered in gilt. Front board detached along joint but still firmly anchored by both binding cords; rear board detached and anchored only by one binding cord. Former owner book plate of Henry D. Gilpin 1801-1860 Quaker lawyer and statesman U.S. Attorney General 1840-41 under President Martin Van Buren on front pastedown. Text block is fully intact. xliv 371 pp. w/ two hand-colored plates the first the frontis. of English Chromatic Scale Moses Harris's colour-wheel the second after p. 244 of the French Chromatic Scale Merimee's both with intact tissue guards. This translation of Merimee's famous French treatise was made at the suggestion of Mulready Etty and Wilkie. This volume contains substantial extracts from the original manuscript of Harris's "Natural History of Colours" which the author describes as a "work . . . so very scarce that I have never seen a copy of it" p.350. Recommended leather restoration would significantly enhance appearance but this copy is still quite presentable "as is" and could be recased to provide a complement to its near-immaculate interior. Noted condition as Good-VG weighs semi-detached boards and chipped leather against the quite tidy state of the text block itself which is solid Near Fine and its former ownership. Published by Whittaker & Co. Ave Maria Lane printed by Gilbert & Rivington in St. John's Square. Exceedingly scarce. Whittaker & Co. Hardcover