| Here is the second De Ricci example of a binding by Louis Chenu, I have just realized that this binding is covering exactly what we found in the reference of the last page "Louis Chenu, master bookbinder, who in charge of the decorative bindings of programs for the operas & ballets represented at Versailles in front of Their Majesties." This means that this binding was executed in 1766 and that the binding on the Ciceron was probably made in the same period. As Ricci remarks in his notes several of the same tools are found in this example. There is another fortunate thing about this binding, it was owned by Leon Gruel and he took the time to detail it in the second volume of his famous work: Manuel historique et bibliographique de l'amateur de reliures published in 1905 several years after the first volume. He illustrates part of this binding on page 46. |
| There is something strange about Gruel's text concerning Chenu, it ends abruptly and does not continue on the next page, Gruel was just about to tell us what was inside this binding, fortunately Ricci has filled us in on this and its very fortunate because it gives us a fix on the date of this work by Chenu. One has to marvel at the precision of this illustration that shows very precise details of each fleuron, details that are not visible in De Ricci's photo. When the imprints are drawn so exactly and yet are not placed in exactly the same positions as shown in the De Ricci example leads me to think that there was more than one copy in Gruels collection. |
| In Comparative Diagram 4 we see that this tool was very popular amoungst the French binders in the second quarter of the 18th century, all the most sucessful binders of this period used this tool in many of their bindings and it would be a must for anyone hoping to compete in that arena. |
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Unfortunately the De Ricci reproduction of the gold tooling on this binding is far from great, fortunately we have Leon Gruel's illustration that reveals the fine details of these imprints, one must wonder how it is this possible and ask why Leon Gruel's exactly illustrated imprints are not placed in the same positions as shown in Ricci's reproduction. further to this how could anyone have illustrated the imprints so well when they appear to be anything but clear. This is rather mysterious, also the signature of Chenu appears to be set at an angle in Gruel's illustration where as it not angular in Ricci's example, the placement of the signature in relationship to the surrounding imprints is different. I doubt whether this illustrated example derives from binding No. 93. On the next page we are going to see another 1766 example of "Traité général des élémens du chant. Dédié à Monseigneur le Dauphin, par M. l'abbé Lacassagne" that has also been decorated by Louis Chenu. |
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| Even experts are sometimes wrong, before you spend thousands on a book, please do your own research! Just because I say a certain binding can be attributed to le Maitre isn't any kind of guarantee, don't take my word for it, go a step further and get your own proof. In these pages I have provided you with a way of doing just that. |
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