Bible

1785 · 4530 — Paris: François-Ambroise Didot 1785 1785. Two volumes. Large 4to. 310x230mm. pp. ix 1 596; 4 548. Handsomely bound in red morocco. Gilt borders spine lettered in gilt turn ins decorated in gilt. All edges gilt marbled endpapers. Pale blue silk ribbon in each volume. Slight bumping to bottom edges and rubbing to corners and to head and foot of spines but otherwise a lovely set in very good condition and internally excellent save for a little foxing in places and some minor staining in volume two. Beautifully printed in two columns by François-Ambroise Didot this Bible is part of the "Collection des auteurs classiques François et Latins" published by command of Louis XVI as works suitable for the education of the Dauphin. In fact this is the only work in Latin as the project was largely intended as a vehicle for the promotion of the classics of French literature including works by Racine Voltaire Corneille Rousseau Molière La Fontaine and La Rochefoucauld. The total set runs to thirty two volumes. François-Ambroise Didot was the second generation of the great printing dynasty inventing a new printing press and adapting the Fournier point system for typefaces. The Didot point is now the European standard typographical measure. La maison Didot entre l'élite et la foule: les vies matérielles du classique dans la France du premier XIXe siècle Stéphane Zékian Paris: François-Ambroise Didot 1785 unknown