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SAINT TERESA OF ÁVILALA PRIÈREParis, Victor Palmé, 1873Signed Fine Binding by LesortFull Red Morocco • Red Silk Doublures • All Edges GiltOriginal Binder’s TicketGilt Monogram Dated 1876
SAINTE THÉRÈSE [Saint Teresa of Ávila]. La Prière. With a preface by Monseigneur Landriot, Archbishop of Reims.
Paris: Victor Palmé, 1873.
New edition, augmented with extracts from the autobiographical writings of Saint Teresa. From the Bibliothèque de piété des gens du monde series. French text. 446 pages, followed by the table of contents.
With a full-page chromolithographic devotional frontispiece and tissue guard.
A handsome nineteenth-century French devotional volume in a richly finished signed binding by Lesort of Paris, executed in full red morocco with extensive gilt decoration, silk doublures and endleaves, and all edges gilt.
THE LESORT BINDING
Bound in full rich red morocco leather, with five raised bands to the spine.
The spine is lettered in gilt and decorated with repeated gilt fleurons. The binder’s name LESORT is stamped in gilt at the foot.
Both covers feature a large matching gilt cruciform ornament composed of pointed Gothic forms, scrolling foliage, and small decorative tools. Smaller gilt ornaments appear at the corners, leaving broad areas of open red morocco around the central device.
The interiors are especially luxurious, with broad gilt-tooled morocco turn-ins framing red watered-silk doublures, continued with matching silk endleaves.
All edges gilt.
ORIGINAL BINDER’S TICKET
The volume retains the original red-and-white Lesort workshop ticket:
L. LESORT, À PARIS
5, Rue de Grenelle St-Germain
The ticket, together with the gilt LESORT signature on the spine, provides two independent identifying marks for the binding.
Lesort was a recognized Parisian binder particularly associated with high-quality devotional and religious bindings. Contemporary and later examples of the firm’s work frequently employ fine morocco, gilt tooling, silk doublures, and rich interior decoration. Usiana
DATED PERSONALIZATION
The front silk doublure bears an intertwined gilt monogram above the date 1876.
The initials have not been securely identified.
The date suggests that the binding or presentation was completed by 1876, only three years after publication, but no specific recipient or occasion is presently established.
SAINT TERESA AND THE TEXT
Saint Teresa of Ávila was one of the major writers of Christian contemplative spirituality and Carmelite reform.
This French devotional edition gathers her teachings on prayer and the interior life, supplemented with extracts from her autobiographical writings and a preface by Monseigneur Landriot, Archbishop of Reims.
The edition is bibliographically recorded as a Paris publication of Victor Palmé in 1873. CageWeb
CHROMOLITHOGRAPHIC FRONTISPIECE
The volume includes a full-page chromolithographic devotional frontispiece, retaining its tissue guard.
The image remains bright, with strong color and gold-toned details.
CONDITION
Very Good overall, with an especially attractive and well-preserved binding.
The full red morocco retains strong, rich color.
There is minor rubbing at the extremities, a few small surface marks, and slight tonal variation to the leather. The boards remain firmly attached and the binding is structurally sound.
The large gilt ornaments to the covers, the spine lettering, and the decorated turn-ins remain bright and sharply defined.
The LESORT spine signature and the printed Lesort binder’s ticket remain clearly legible.
The red silk doublures and endleaves show rippling, folds, and localized tonal variation, visible in the photographs. The gilt monogram and 1876 date remain clear.
All edges gilt, with minor rubbing.
Internally there is scattered foxing and light age toning, particularly to the preliminary leaves.
The title page and opening page of the preface show distinct areas of uneven darkening. A small marginal nick affects the lower outer edge of the title page.
Occasional spotting continues elsewhere in the text.
The chromolithographic frontispiece remains bright beneath its tissue guard.
Text extends through page 446, followed by the table of contents.
Please examine all photographs carefully, particularly those showing the silk doublures, binder’s ticket, Lesort spine signature, monogram and date, preliminary-page darkening, title-page nick, and gilt decoration.
ITEM DETAILS
Author: Saint Teresa of Ávila
Title: La Prière
Preface: Monseigneur Landriot
Publisher: Victor Palmé
Place: Paris
Date: 1873
Language: French
Pagination: 446 pp., plus contents
Binding: Full red morocco
Binder: Lesort, signed
Doublures: Red watered silk
Edges: All edges gilt
Illustration: Chromolithographic frontispiece
Binder’s Mark: Gilt LESORT signature and original printed ticket
Special Feature: Gilt monogram dated 1876
A very attractive example of nineteenth-century French devotional fine binding, combining the writings of Saint Teresa of Ávila with a fully documented Lesort binding, luxurious silk interiors, and dated personalization.
