Syllabaire Francais Et Anglais [Serie 1] Francois-Benjamin Vayron [Lith.] 19Th Century,Children's Literature,France / French Writers,French Language,Illustrators

Paris: Marchand, n.d., ca. 1850s. Oblong 16mo (10.5x13.5cm.); full recent violet morocco, covers lettered in blind and gilt, original wrapper bound in, housed in custom paper-covered slipcase; 24ll.; each leaf adorned with hand-colored lithograph printed on verso only. Leather spine toned to tan, original front wrapper rather creased and worn at margins and discreetly rebacked though evidence remains of small losses affecting decorative border, final leaf ("Z") also a bit chipped at margins with faint fold line along gutter edge, several leaves affixed to binding with archival tape. A Good to Very Good example of this unrecorded ABC. Forms part of a series of French-English ABCs issued by Marchand in the 1850s. This series provides twenty-four professions, the letters X&Y having been combined, the letter W skipped altogether. The metiers chosen are for the most part familiarly artisan and working class (no lawyers, doctors or politicians here!), from the Armorer to the Zingueur (Zinc smith). The letters of the alphabet for the French and English equivalents don't necessarily match so that "I stands for Imprimeur/Printer and "J" for Jardinier/Gardner [sic], though "S" standing for Sculpteur/Carver seems like a lost opportunity. Of special interest are the Kaleidoscope maker, an unstereotypical Usurer, and a ragged [chimney] Sweeper. The lithography was provided by François-Benjamin Vayron, to whose atelier in the rue Galande one can attribute some of the earliest prints by Gustave Doré. No copies in the trade, OCLC, or COPAC as of February, 2024.