Essais historiques sur les bardes, les jongleurs et les trouveres normands et anglo-normands; suivis de pieces de Malherbe, qu'on ne trouve dans aucune edition de ses oeuvres

Three volumes, complete. A LARGE-PAPER SET ON COLORED PAPER OF THE FIRST AND ONLY EDITION OF THIS GROUNDBREAKING STUDY OF MEDIEVAL FRENCH LITERATURE. The first volume is a history of medieval French literature; the other two volumes provide biographies of medieval French authors and excerpts from their works (most printed here for the first time). This is A LARGE-PAPER SET PRINTED ON FINE CHAMOIS (orange-brown) WOVE PAPER. Large margins. This set comes from the collections of Etienne Deville (Norman polymath, medievalist, and antiquary active during the early 20th century--his small inkstamp) and Francois Cottin (collector active during the 20th century--his bookplate). 4to. UNCUT. Attractively bound in 20th-century half forest green morocco and marbled boards. Spines faded to brown, but otherwise very good. Internally FINE AND BRIGHT. Extremely rare on colored paper. Brunet III, 853 ("production tres-remarquable"); Vicaire V, 70. *** NOTE: Included with this set is an offprint of Raynouard's review, which appeared in the Journal des Savants (September, 1834). In this review (20 pp.) Raynouard recognized the enormous importance of La Rue's work. In perfect condition, in the original plain wraps.