EARLY EXAMPLES. FROM 1574 TO 1650.
From 1574 to 1650 French book-plates were not numerous, and very few
dated examples are known, but the age of the plates can generally be
approximately decided by their style.
The French shields of this first period are almost invariably square in
form, slightly curved at the bottom. As a rule, on early plates the
supporters hold the shield upright on a base which rises on each side,
or occasionally on a mosaic platform, on the squares of which are
emblazoned the principal charges of the shield. This latter decoration,
although exceedingly rich in appearance, seems to have fallen rapidly
into disuse after 1650. At first the metals and colours are irregularly
emblazoned, next they are indicated by the initials of their names, and
finally (after 1638) are shown on the present system, although, it must
be admitted, that on early plates the tinctures cannot invariably be
relied on. French engravers, having the love of beauty more strongly
developed than the desire for strict heraldic accuracy, often introduced
shading in such a manner as to make it difficult to discriminate between
heraldic and non-heraldic lines in their work. Prior to 1638 it was not
unusual to “trick” the arms, by placing on them the initials of their
metals or colours, as “o.” for or, “ar.” for argent, “g.” for gueules,
etc.; whereas soon after the publication of the “Tesseræ gentilitiæ” of
Father Sylvestre Petra Sancta, it became the custom to employ dots and
lines in conventional forms to indicate colours, metals, and furs in
heraldic engravings, in the simple but effective manner which is still
employed. Of the early plates, many are of large size, suitable for the
folio volumes which then formed the bulk of all libraries. The ex-libris
of Lyons are especially notable for their magnitude, as, for example,
that of Claude Ruffier.
As in many cases designers’ or engravers’ signatures are found on plates
which have no owners’ names, the use of the term _anonymous_, applied to
such ex-libris, would have been ambiguous or misleading. I have,
therefore, spoken of ownerless plates as nameless.
I have already alluded in the Introductory Chapter to the three most
interesting dated French plates before 1650, namely: _Caroli Albosii_,
1574, of which a facsimile is here; _Alexandre Bouchart_, 1611,
reproduced by M. Bouchot; and _Melchior de la Vallée_, 1613, which has
been reproduced in both the “Archives de la Société Française” and the
“Ex-Libris Journal.”
There is a fourth plate, dated 1644, yet to be described, and a few
additional notes about the above will be given, as we reach them in
their order.
First, there can be no doubt as to the authenticity of the label of
_Caroli Albosii_, or Charles Ailleboust, Bishop of Autun, whose father
had been doctor to Francis I., and died at Fontainebleau, in 1531.
[Illustration: BOOK-PLATE OF THE BISHOP OF AUTUN.]
Charles Ailleboust is described in the histories of the time as having
been a handsome man, of courtly manners and great learning. He was
educated for the Church, but he also obtained several court
appointments, through the interest of his father’s many friends, and was
procureur-général in the province of Lyons. He died in the town of
Autun, on December 29, 1585, and was buried in the Church of Saint
Jean-de-la-Grotte.
On his episcopal seal his arms are shown as a chevron between three
trefoils within a bordure. No mention is made as to the extent or nature
of the library left by this Bishop of Autun, but his ex-libris was found
in a work printed in Lyons in 1566, entitled “Les secrets miracles de
Nature.”
One of the most curious points about this remarkable label is that it
exactly synchronizes with the earliest known dated British book-plate,
namely, that of Nicholas Bacon. But for the solace of our national
vanity it may be said that the latter is the more important of the two,
being a coloured armorial woodcut.
Amongst the finest examples of plates before 1650 may be named the
series of three, in different sizes, engraved for _Jean Bigot_, Sieur de
Sommesnil (the head of a Norman family of famous book-lovers).
All three plates are nameless; the arms are irregularly emblazoned,
whilst the helmet and supporters are drawn in such an antique style as
to give the plates the appearance of even greater age than they possess.
Possibly they may have been copied from some very old painting. Later on
this Bigot has another suite of armorial book-plates engraved with his
name, _Johannes Bigot_. In these the tinctures are indicated on the
shield by their initial letters. As a collector his son Emeric was even
more famous, and added greatly to the library he inherited from his
father. He had three armorial ex-libris, one large, and two small, on
which the tinctures are correctly shown, with the name, _L. E. Bigot_.
These are all signed with a monogram formed of B and D entwined.
Emeric Bigot was born in 1626, so that it is possible that his plates
were engraved a little later than 1650.
He was certainly the leading bibliophile of his day, at once the most
cultivated and the most liberal in the acquisition of rare books.
Contemporary writers mention his literary taste and his fine library,
which at the time of his death contained about 40,000 volumes. These he
left to a member of his family, Robert Bigot (who also had a
book-plate), but eventually they were sold in Paris in 1706.
The following ex-libris have also been identified as belonging to this
period, either by the names, the arms, the mottoes, or by the signatures
of the artists affixed to them:
Charles de Lorraine, Evêque de Verdun (1592-1631). Fine armorial plate,
without the owner’s name.
Alexandre Bouchart, Sieur de Blosseville. Engraved by Léonard Gaultier,
dated 1611, and already described on page 12.
Melchior de la Vallée, dated 1613, an armorial plate of extreme rarity.
The inscription reads thus: “Melchior a Valle protonotarius Insignis
Ecclæ Sancti Georgi Naceis Cantor et Canonicus Henr II. D. Lotharin. et
Barri eleemosinarius.” On account of its extreme rarity this ex-libris
had long been the subject of doubt and curiosity to collectors, even
Mons. Poulet-Malassis had not seen it, and blundered in his notes upon
it.
At length Dr. Bouland gave a _facsimile_ of it in the _Archives de la
Société Française_ for February, 1895.
The actual engraving measures exactly six inches by four, and in the
lower portion the date (1613) is boldly engraved. Dr. Bouland, in his
notes upon it, says that this _facsimile_ is taken from the only
original copy that is now known to exist, in the possession of Mons.
Lucien Wiener, Curator of the Lorraine Museum in Nancy. One other
example was discovered some time since, but was unfortunately destroyed
in a fire. The design (which it may be said is more curious than
beautiful) was at first attributed to Callot, but it is now believed to
have been the work of Jacques Bellange, a painter and engraver, who was
born in Nancy in 1594, and died about 1638, consequently he might well
have produced work of this description in 1613. Melchior de la Vallée
was an ecclesiastic, with a passion for collecting rare books and
curiosities; unfortunately he incurred the displeasure of Charles IV.,
Duke of Lorraine, was accused of sorcery, and cruelly burnt alive in
1631.
Chanlecy. The nameless armorial plate of an ecclesiastic belonging to
this Burgundian family, quartering the arms of Semur and Thiard.
Claude Sarrau. Armorial plate in two sizes; the larger one only is
signed Briot, although it is probable the same artist, Isaac Briot,
engraved both. The owner’s name does not appear on either plate. Claude
Sarrau, councillor to the parliament of Paris, died in 1651. His
correspondence with the savants of the day was edited and published by
his son Isaac in 1654.
De Chaponay. Prévôt des Marchands de la Ville de Lyon in 1627. Two
handsome armorial plates, quarto and octavo, without the owner’s name.
The quarto plate has the arms of Chaponay imposed upon those of family
connections; lions support the shield, which rests on a platform
composed of a mosaic pattern of all the principal charges found on the
various shields. This is a very fine decorative plate. Signed Joan
Picart incidit.
“Ex Libris Alexandri Petavii in Francorum curia consiliarii. Pauli
filii.” This is the fine armorial plate of Alexandre Petau, who
inherited a splendid library from his father, Paul Petau, conseiller au
parlement de Paris, born in 1568, died in 1613. On the death of
Alexandre his manuscripts were purchased by Christina of Sweden, who
bequeathed them to the Vatican. The printed books were sold at the Hague
in 1722, along with those of Mansart, the famous architect. On the plate
the shield rests on a mosaic platform, composed of the principal charges
in alternate squares correctly tinctured. Motto: “Moribus antiquis.”
This plate is reproduced by Poulet-Malassis.
Louis Brasdefer. In two sizes, each having the owner’s name. Arms
surrounded by two branches of laurel; the tinctures are indicated by
their initial letters.
[Illustration: BOOK-PLATE OF ALEXANDRE PETAU.]
Ex-libris of Guillaume Grangier. _Guillelmus Grangierius_. Faict à Nancy
par J. Valdor. An armorial plate, with six lines of Latin verse. The
artist, Jean Valdor, a Liègeois, was residing in Nancy in 1630, which
approximately fixes the date of this plate; he afterwards went to Paris,
where he was living in 1642.
Auzoles, Sieur de la Peyre, of a family of Auvergne, author of “La
Sainte Chronologie” (1571-1642). A quarto armorial plate without owner’s
name, but signed Picart ft. The shield hangs from the neck of a lion.
Motto: “Sub zodiaco vales.” This plate is reproduced by Poulet-Malassis.
Brinon. Norman family. A nameless armorial plate.
Pierre Sarragoz, of Besançon. Armorial plate, without owner’s name,
signed P. Deloysi sc. The plate contains a number of coats-of-arms,
statues, and a bust of the Emperor Rodolf II., to whom the Sarragoz
family, originally from Spain, owed their nobility. Pierre Sarragoz died
October 14, 1649, according to his epitaph in the church of St. Maurice
at Besançon.
Of engravings by Pierre Deloysi, of Besançon (called _le vieux_), few
examples are known. He was a goldsmith, and engraved the coins issued in
his native town.
De Regnouart. Armorial plate. Motto: “Age. Abstine. Sustine.”
Charreton. Armorial plate, name below shield.
Ex-libris of Roquelaire. Armorial plate, without owner’s name, signed L.
Tiphaigne. The arms are surrounded by the collars of the orders of Saint
Michael, and of the Holy Ghost.
Chassebras. Armorial plate, with the name on a ribbon.
Boussac, of Limousin. Armorial plate without owner’s name.
Antoine de Lamare, Seigneur de Chenevarin. An armorial plate with the
inscription “Ex-libris Antonii de Lamare, D. de Cheneuarin.” This plate
was found on the cover of a book having the signature Antoine de Lamare,
and the date of its acquisition, 1629. A very interesting feature about
it is that above the shield is printed (typographically) the blazon of
the arms of Lamare, and of those of the families of Croisset and of
Clercy, with whom he was connected.
Ex-libris des frères Sainte-Marthe. Armorial plate. Motto: “Patriæ
fœlicia tempora nebunt.” Signed J. Picart sc.
Jean-Pierre de Montchal, Seigneur de la Grange. Armorial, without
owner’s name. Motto: “Je lay gaignee.” The shield rests on mosaic work,
on which the charges are repeated. In his “Traité des plus belles
bibliothèques de l’Europe” (1680), Le Gallois mentions the library of De
Montchal amongst those recently sold or dispersed.
Nicolas-Thomas de Saint André. A large plate without owner’s name.
Motto: “Pietate fulcior.”
Scott, Marquis de la Mésangère, in Normandy. Armorial plate without the
owner’s name.
Ex-libris de Garibal. Languedoc family. Name below shield.
Ex-libris de Berulle. Name below shield.
Bovet. Nameless. Armorial. Family of Dauphiné.
Bernard de Nogaret, duc d’Epernon. Large nameless armorial plate of
handsome design. The shield surrounded by the collars of the orders of
Saint Michael, and of the Holy Ghost. A very fine plate, probably the
work of an Italian artist.
“Messire François de Varoquier. Chevallier de l’ordre du Roy son
con^{er} et maistre d’hostel ord^{re} Tresorier de France G^{nal} des
Finances et grand voier en la generalité de Paris.”
Motto: “Recta ubique sic et cor.”
Le Féron. Armorial plate without owner’s name. The principal charges are
repeated on the mosaic pavement which supports the shield.
Le Puy du Fou. Two sizes, both without owner’s name. Armorial. Signed J.
Picart. Poitou family.
Joannes Bardin, presbyter. Motto: “Hic ure, hic seca, modo parcas in
æternum.” Two sizes, armorial.
Lesquen. An armorial plate without owner’s name. Motto: “VIN CEN TI.”
Breton family.
Large nameless armorial. Signed Raigniauld, Riomi, 1644. See reduced
reproduction.
Raigniauld, Riomi, 1644. The late Lord de Tabley, in his “Guide,” says:
“This engraver signs and dates a fine, but coarsely executed, anonymous
armorial plate. The shield is untinctured and quarterly; first, a star,
on a chief, three trefoils slipped; second, a cross pattée; third, a
wing; fourth, two bars, in base a wheel; over all an escutcheon charged
with a fesse. Fine leaf-like, simple mantling to helmet. No crest. I
have no further knowledge of the artist. The more modern French form
of this surname is Regnault. Riomi is an old-fashioned town in Auvergne,
just north of Clermont.” It is now spelt _Riom_.
[Illustration: ARMORIAL BOOK-PLATE BY RAIGNIAULD, DATED 1644.]
This is the fourth dated plate (1574, 1611, 1613, 1644) before 1650, the
next we meet with is that of André Felibien, dated 1650.
François de Malherbe (1555-1628). The poet had plates in two sizes, both
armorial, and both probably engraved early in the seventeenth century,
and with the tinctures incorrectly shown. Neither bears the owner’s
name. Poulet-Malassis reproduces the larger plate.
Amy Lamy. A curious and exceptional plate, having the portrait of this
unknown bibliophile, with the motto: “Usque ad aras,” and six lines of
complimentary Latin verse.
A large nameless armorial book-plate (unknown), with the motto “In manus
tuas Domine sortes mea,” signed J. de Courbes fecit, with several other
plates which cannot be identified, complete the list of plates of this
period mentioned by Poulet-Malassis. In most cases he gives details of
the arms and crests which students who desire to be conversant with
French heraldry may consult with advantage.
It will thus be seen that the proportion of book-plates which can be
positively assigned to a date prior to 1650 is small. Omitting those
which were produced in the provinces on the German frontier, or under
the influence of foreign artists, it will be remarked that all the
plates produced within the geographical limits of the France of that
period were essentially heraldic in character, composed of emblazoned
shields, with helmets, crests, mantling, and supporters, often
surrounded by wreaths of laurel or palm branches, and frequently resting
on handsome mosaic platforms, decorated with the principal charges of
the shield. And so generally was the science of heraldry understood in
those days, that on only about one-half of the plates was it deemed
necessary to add the owner’s name to the shield displaying his arms.
In the reigns of Henri IV. and Louis XIII. book-plates were probably
very uncommon, and the large size in which they were produced, for the
massive folios then in vogue, has militated much against their
preservation. They are, of all book-plates, the most eagerly sought for
by collectors; they are rare, they have great artistic merit, and the
heraldry is of the grandest and purest style ever known in France.
Pierre d’Hozier compiled a list (which has never yet been published) of
the names, titles, and arms of one hundred and twenty-five persons, who,
living in 1631, were known as collectors and lovers of works on
heraldry, history, and genealogy. This list was accompanied by drawings
of the armorial bearings of each of the one hundred and twenty-five
collectors (engraved by Magneney and J. Picart), the cream of the
book-lovers of the day, _la fine fleur des bibliophiles_, all possessors
of libraries, and it may also reasonably be supposed, all possessed of
ex-libris.
Yet of all these Poulet-Malassis asserts that he has found but five
whose plates are known at present, namely, those of Le Puy du Fou,
Montchal, Auzoles de la Peyre, Jean Bigot, and the brothers
Sainte-Marthe. Of the remaining one hundred and twenty no book-plates
are known; that some amongst their number must have had them is
reasonably certain. But where shall we find them, or shall we ever find
them?
_Mais où sont les neiges d’antan?_
[Illustration: NAMELESS ARMORIAL PLATE.]
[Illustration]