| This binding is so big it needs something to show its size, and because it is so large we don't know if the special tools are uniquely due to that or whether these tools have become the fashion, which is what I suspect as everyone starts to use this particular type of tool in the 70's and 80's (click here to see more about these tools associated with the workshops of Douceur in the post Douceur period). |
| The reproduction of this giant binding is from Rahir's 1910 catalogue, the images were printed using photogravure technology, the quality of witch far surpasses anthing in actual use today, even though this giant binding had to be reduced to fit an a4 page the detail is still amazing. In Comparative Diagram 2, I show one of the few obvious Fetil imprints, this is a very small imprint that is barely noticable in this giant dentelle, however we can still see within the enlarged details enough to know that this is the same imprint, made by the same Fetil tool. It is only this and one other tool that gives this binding away as being from the workshop of Fetil. I don't think many people would recognize this binding as being the work of Fetil with so many new tools and the style being quite different from his earlier work. |
| In Comparative Diagram 3 we examine imprints from a single tool, used by Louis Douceur probably in the 50's and at some point used also by Fetil, perhaps as early as 1757 and laterly found in this 1772 binding. |
| In Comparative Diagram 4, I have assembled the more important imprints from this 1772 binding by René-François Fétil. Now after making this diagram I discover Barber has recorded some of the imprints! |
| In Comparative Diagram 5, we see that Barbers DCT 59 model is identical to our Fetil 1772 example this is very exciting as this imprint is so specific there can be no doubt that it is the same tool, and therefore I am very confident that the binding that Barber has taken this from, W.Cat.248 is very likely another fetil binding. |
| In Comparative Diagram 6 we compare Barbers DCT 57 and 58 with imprints taken from our 1772 binding. It is very hard to be certain about such small imprints that are not reproduced at high resolutions however I note that DCT 58 also derives from binding W.Cat248 therefore there is a strong chance that we are on the right track. |
| In Comparative Diagram 7 we find that W.Cat248 also has this pair of imprints FR 27. |
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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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