1713 Philippe de Commines Memoirs Louis XI Portrait Faure Bookplate Vol 3 Only For Sale

Philippe de Comines (Commynes), Mémoires de messire Philippe de Comines, seigneur d’Argenton, Tome Troisième. Brussels: François Foppens, 1713.

An early eighteenth-century French historical volume from Denis Godefroy’s expanded edition of Comines’ celebrated memoirs. This third volume is devoted principally to the reign of Louis XI and contains the Addition à l’Histoire de Louis XI, historical letters and documents, critical remarks, and Le Cabinet du Roy Louis XI.

The title page is faced by a finely engraved portrait of Louis XI, signed C. Vermeulen. The volume is bound in contemporary full brown calf with raised bands, extensive gilt spine decoration, gilt title and volume labels, marbled endpapers, and red-stained edges.

Especially interesting provenance: the front pastedown bears the engraved bookplate of French bibliophile Jacques Alexandre Faure (1899–1995), depicting an ornate key with a wolf emblem and the motto “NOVA APERIRE.” The wolf refers to the heraldic emblem of Faure’s wife, Jacqueline de Lubersac (1913–1988). This attribution is confirmed by specialist cataloguing of other books from Faure’s library.

Tome III only. Size: approximately 7 × 4.5 × 1.5 inches.

Condition: Honest antiquarian condition. Both boards remain attached. The calf binding is heavily rubbed, with worn corners and edges, leather losses at the spine ends and corners, and cracking and wear along the joints. The gilt spine remains attractive and both labels are readable. Marbled endpapers and red edges are preserved. Internally, the paper shows light age toning, scattered spotting, and occasional handling wear. The engraved portrait and title page are present. The text reaches page 496 and is followed by the table of contents, errata, and royal privilege leaves.