Son Altesse La Femme [Her Highness the Woman] [Extra-Illustrated State] [Salvatore David Master Binding] [Cortlandt Field Bishop Provenance]

Item Details

Paris, A. Quantin,, 1885, Full contemporary red morocco

Limited Edition, Fine

A remarkable example of late nineteenth-century French bookmaking, uniting the literary vision of Octave Uzanne with a master binding by Salvatore David and documented ownership by important American collector Cortlandt Field Bishop.

This limited edition of Son Altesse La Femme represents the height of Belle Époque bibliophilic culture, combining essays on femininity, fashion, and cultural identity with an elaborate program of illustration and ornament. The present copy is distinguished by its exceptional binding and an additional suite of ten vignette illustrations printed separately without text, representing an enhanced illustrated state beyond the standard issue.

THE BEAUTIFUL BOOK OF FIN-DE-SIÈCLE PARIS.
Octave Uzanne was one of the most distinctive figures in nineteenth-century French literary and bibliophilic circles. His works transformed subjects such as fashion, collecting, and social customs into highly designed literary objects that reflected the artistic ambitions of the Belle Époque.

In Son Altesse La Femme, Uzanne examines changing ideas of femininity through historical, cultural, and social perspectives, moving from traditional archetypes to the modern Parisienne. The work reflects the period’s fascination with fashion, psychology, and the evolving role of women in modern society.

A MASTERWORK BY SALVATORE DAVID: The binding elevates this copy beyond the ordinary limited edition. Executed by Salvatore David, son of the celebrated French binder Bernard David, it demonstrates the craftsmanship and decorative vocabulary that defined the finest French bindings of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

The full red morocco binding features elaborate gilt tooling, inlaid blue and white leather decoration, gilt morocco doublures, and deep blue silk pastedowns and flyleaves. The original printed wrappers are preserved as a bound-in double-page spread.

A COLLECTOR’S ENHANCED STATE: The copy contains an additional suite of ten vignette illustrations printed separately without text. This additional suite distinguishes the volume from standard issues and reflects the nineteenth-century bibliophile’s desire to create individualized, enhanced copies through the selection and arrangement of visual material.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Quarto, approximately 7 by 10.75 inches. Full contemporary red morocco binding by Salvatore David. Elaborately tooled gilt decoration with inlaid blue and white leather elements. Gilt morocco doublures with deep blue silk pastedowns and flyleaves. Original printed wrappers bound in as a double-page spread.

Illustrated by Albert Lynch with engraved title vignette, fifty text engravings, eleven ornamental borders and head-pieces, ten tipped-in color plates, and an additional suite of ten vignette illustrations printed separately without text.

PROVENANCE: With the gilt-tooled red morocco book ticket of Cortlandt Field Bishop (1870–1935), important American collector, aviator, and founder of the American Art Association-Anderson Galleries.

CONDITION: Fine. The binding remains tight and square. The text block is clean with light, even age-toning. The red morocco remains vibrant with moderate shelf handling. A small opening is beginning at the front lower joint. The internal silk, gilt tooling, and decorative elements remain exceptionally bright. A remarkably well-preserved example of a high-status French binding.

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: THE BELLE ÉPOQUE BEAUTIFUL BOOK—THE ART OF BIBLIOPHILIA
 Son Altesse La Femme represents the Belle Époque ideal of the book as a complete artistic object, where typography, illustration, binding, and subject matter worked together to create an experience beyond ordinary reading.

Uzanne’s writings occupy an important place in the history of French bibliophilia, reflecting the nineteenth-century movement toward the beautifully produced book that would influence later fine press and livre d’artiste traditions.

THE MAKING OF A COLLECTOR’S COPY.
This copy demonstrates how elite collectors transformed already distinguished editions through exceptional bindings and additional illustrative material. The Salvatore David binding and added suite of illustrations reveal the nineteenth-century tradition of treating books as individual works of art.

The Cortlandt Field Bishop book ticket further connects the volume to the formative years of major American rare book collecting, when private collectors and auction houses helped establish the modern market for important illustrated and finely bound books.

CONTENT HIGHLIGHTS
+++ Belle Époque Bibliophilia — A major example of the French fascination with the beautifully produced book.
+++ Salvatore David Binding — A richly decorated master binding in red morocco with inlaid leather and silk doublures.
+++ Enhanced Illustrated State — Includes an additional suite of ten vignette illustrations beyond the standard issue.
+++ Octave Uzanne — A distinctive voice in nineteenth-century French literary and bibliophilic culture.
+++ Bishop Provenance — From the library of an important early twentieth-century American collector.

SUBJECTS: Octave Uzanne; Salvatore David; Cortlandt Field Bishop; French Bibliophilia; Belle Époque Paris; Fine Binding; French Illustrated Books; Book Arts; Women in Literature; Fashion History; Nineteenth-Century Printing; Édition de Luxe, Fine Bindings; Illustrated Books; French Literature; Bibliophilic Editions; Limited Editions; Livre d’Artiste Precursors.

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