Mode

1888 · 48840 — Paris: Grande Maison de Blanc ca. 1888. 12mo. 42 pp unpaginated. Colour chromolithograph illustrated title 18 colour chromolith plates. Dark green silk gilt lettering on front cover very minor soiling edgewear front cover rear inner hinge starting still a VG bright copy stapled textblock as issued. First edition of this delightfully produced and illustrated history of gloves through the ages. These include descriptions of mesh gloves used by the Egyptians metal gauntlets used by Roman gladiators gloves to keep warm by monks during the Middle Ages leather gloves to protect the hands and arms of the falconer fencing gloves beautiful silk & lace gloves for noblewomen at the courts of Louis XV and Louis XVI and riding gloves for women during the Second Empire of Napoleon III and finally the Belle Epoque. Grande Maison de Blanc was a renowned firm in Paris during the Belle Epoque who were especially proud of selling French-manufactured gloves linens cravats and other household goods at a discount compared to many other stores at the time. They were pioneers in not only producing their own products in house by maintaining factories in Tarare Lille Fives and other areas around France but pushing other suppliers to offer steep wholesale discounts. Worldcat locates 2 copies NYU Princeton. Grande Maison de Blanc, hardcover