Description

FIRST EDITION. 
ONE OF 200 COPIES NOT SOLD ON VÉLIN DES MARAISAfter 100 copies on Japon.

Copy signed by the publisher and presented to Mr Van Branteghem.

Alphonse Van Branteghem (1844-1911), a lawyer by training from a family of industrialists, became actively involved in the world of Belgian museums, and more particularly in the policy of acquiring antiques. His collection, which began around 1884, was auctioned on 18 June 1892 in Paris at the Hôtel Drouot and acquired mainly by the British Museum, the Ashmolean Museum in Boston and the Fine Arts Museum in Boston.
The introduction to the catalogue tells us about his taste for bookbinding:
"At the same time as he was exploring the merchants' basements, he [...] began to build up an archaeological library which, at the present time, is perhaps without rival. It certainly has no rivals when it comes to bindings, as each volume is dressed in full morocco and gilded with small irons. We are not accustomed to such admiration.ns"

Spectacular mosaic binding signed by the Belgian workshop Laurent Claessens & Fils, richly decorated with petit fers, lined with lemon morocco and silk endpapers.
Laurent Claessens (1828-1909) opened his workshop on rue des Comédiens in Brussels in 1854, and went into partnership with his son Paul (1861-1909) in 1884. The latter became the founder and director of the Brussels School of Art Bookbinding.