A mock album compiled by an amateur, consisting of 170 engra - Lot 266

A mock album compiled by an amateur, consisting of 170 engraved portraits, collected and mounted on tabs within a folio-sized volume. No place or date, 19th century. A substantial folio volume, bound in blue half-shagreen, with a smooth spine adorned with a red title label reading “Gravures,” and marbled paper covers. An interesting iconographic collection bringing together engraved portraits of French and foreign figures from various eras: statesmen, writers, clergymen, scholars, sovereigns, and historical figures. Among the portraits featured are Abbé Prévost, d’Aguesseau, Philippe d’Orléans, Charles Dickens, as well as various figures from European political, literary, and religious life. The prints, primarily from the 18th and 19th centuries, have been carefully mounted on sturdy backing sheets. The collection offers an interesting insight into the tastes of 19th-century collectors of historical portraits, a practice that was widespread in scholarly libraries and private collections. The binding shows significant external wear, with scuffing and missing sections on the spine, but remains sturdy. The interior is clean despite some scattered foxing affecting certain plates. The set is complete with all 170 portraits.