French *Récits du Cœur: Contes à l’Enfance* by Madame Clémence-Marie — Ornate Green and Gilt Romantic Cartonnage, Color Illustrations
French *Récits du Cœur: Contes à l’Enfance* by Madame Clémence-Marie — Ornate Green and Gilt Romantic Cartonnage, Color Illustrations
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Item Title: Circa 1845–1860 French *Récits du Cœur: Contes à l’Enfance* by Madame Clémence-Marie — Ornate Green & Gilt Romantic Cartonnage, Color Illustrations & 1862–1884 Provenance Inscriptions, P.-C. Lehuby, Paris
Additional Description:
An exceptionally decorative mid-19th-century French illustrated children's book, *Récits du Cœur: Contes à l’Enfance* (*Stories of the Heart: Tales for Childhood*), written by Madame Clémence-Marie and published in Paris by P.-C. Lehuby, proprietor of the Librairie de l’Enfance et de la Jeunesse.
The volume is particularly distinguished by its richly ornamented original-style Romantic cartonnage binding, featuring a deep forest-green embossed surface and elaborate gilt and polychrome decoration.
The front board is centered with a magnificent symmetrical ornamental composition, incorporating scrolling acanthus foliage, architectural flourishes, floral arrangements, classical urns, and intricate geometric details. The design is embellished with vivid turquoise-green, burgundy-red, blue, and metallic gold decoration, creating a striking jewel-like effect against the dark green ground.
The surrounding cover features delicately embossed borders with repeating scrollwork, ornamental corner flourishes, and a finely textured surface.
The spine continues the elaborate decorative treatment, displaying the title *Récits du Cœur* in gilt lettering surrounded by richly detailed foliate ornament, scrolling cartouches, and burgundy and gold embellishments.
The rear cover retains a complementary gilt centerpiece featuring a classical urn overflowing with foliage, resting upon an architectural pedestal and framed by decorative floral garlands. This more restrained reverse design creates an elegant counterpart to the elaborate front board.
Inside, the book contains a collection of French moral and sentimental stories intended for children, accompanied by attractive illustrations printed in two tones, with additional color visible in the surviving plates.
The illustrated scenes depict intimate moments of family life, childhood instruction, charity, compassion, and religious devotion.
One particularly charming illustration portrays a seated gentleman with a young boy standing beside him, while another depicts a woman kneeling in prayer beside the bed of an ill family member, surrounded by richly colored red curtains.
The illustrations beautifully capture the domestic settings, clothing, and sentimental ideals associated with mid-19th-century European children's literature.
The title page identifies Madame Clémence-Marie as the author and P.-C. Lehuby of Paris as the publisher.
An especially interesting feature is the presence of several historic handwritten ownership and presentation inscriptions on an interior leaf, including dates in April 1862, May 1882, and January 1884. These inscriptions provide a tangible record of the book's circulation and ownership across several decades.
A beautiful example of French Romantic bookmaking, combining richly embossed decorative binding, brilliantly colored ornamentation, historic illustrations, and personal inscriptions from the 19th century.
An attractive addition to a collection of antique French books, illustrated children's literature, decorative cartonnages, or Victorian-era gift books.
Era:
**Estimated publication:** Circa 1845–1860.
**Latest evidenced publication date:** By April 1862, assuming the dated inscription is authentic and contemporary.
**Period:** Mid-19th century, French Romantic / Second Empire-era publishing.
**Binding style:** French Romantic cartonnage (*cartonnage romantique*), with embossed and polychrome gilt decoration.
**Place of publication:** Paris, France.
**Publisher:** P.-C. Lehuby, Librairie de l’Enfance et de la Jeunesse, 53 Rue de Seine, Faubourg Saint-Germain.
**Author:** Madame Clémence-Marie.
**Title:** *Récits du Cœur: Contes à l’Enfance*.
**Language:** French.
**Illustrations:** Printed illustrations described on the title page as *dessins imprimés à deux teintes* (drawings printed in two tones).
**Edition:** Not established.
The binding, decorative techniques, and publisher's imprint are consistent with books produced in France during the middle decades of the 19th century.
History:
During the middle decades of the 19th century, French publishers produced some of the most beautifully decorated illustrated books in Europe.
The development of commercial bookbinding techniques allowed publishers to create elaborate covers incorporating embossed cloth, metallic gilding, colored ornamentation, and richly detailed historical motifs.
This decorative tradition, known as *cartonnage romantique*, flourished particularly between approximately 1840 and 1870.
These books were frequently intended for children and young readers, combining moral instruction, religious education, historical narratives, and sentimental fiction with the visual appeal of luxurious bindings.
Among the notable Parisian publishers associated with this tradition was P.-C. Lehuby, whose Librairie de l’Enfance et de la Jeunesse specialized in books intended for young readers.
Lehuby's publications frequently featured richly decorated covers, elaborate gilt and polychrome designs, and finely illustrated interiors.
*Récits du Cœur: Contes à l’Enfance*, written by Madame Clémence-Marie, belongs to this important literary and decorative tradition.
The title translates to *Stories of the Heart: Tales for Childhood*, reflecting the emphasis placed upon compassion, family relationships, religious virtue, and the moral education of children.
The volume's illustrations depict intimate domestic scenes, including instruction between generations and the care of ill family members, demonstrating the sentimental and moral themes common in contemporary literature.
The elaborate decorative binding is especially representative of French Romantic-era craftsmanship.
Its classical urns, elaborate foliate scrollwork, architectural flourishes, and symmetrical ornamental arrangements draw upon Renaissance and Rococo decorative traditions.
The richly colored gilt centerpiece and intricate embossed borders reflect the period's fascination with historical ornament and luxurious presentation.
Books of this type were often given as gifts, awarded as educational prizes, or preserved within family libraries.
The dated handwritten inscriptions found within this example are particularly evocative of that tradition, providing a personal connection to readers who possessed the volume during the 19th century.
Today, such books are appreciated both for their literary and historical significance and for their extraordinary decorative bindings, which represent an important chapter in the history of French publishing and book design.
Provenance:
Private collection.
Published in Paris by P.-C. Lehuby, 53 Rue de Seine, Faubourg Saint-Germain.
The volume retains several handwritten inscriptions documenting historic ownership or presentation.
The earliest inscription appears to read:
**“Rose Émilie [surname uncertain]
Souvenir de Paris
Avril 1862
Londres”**
This inscription suggests the book may have been acquired or presented in Paris and subsequently associated with London in April 1862.
A second inscription appears to include the name **Annie** and the date **May 1882**, although the surname or accompanying words remain difficult to decipher.
A third inscription, written in a smaller hand, appears to include an additional personal name and **January 1884**.
These inscriptions document the book's circulation among several individuals during the latter half of the 19th century.
The full names, precise relationships between the owners, and circumstances of acquisition have not been established.
No additional bookplate or identifiable institutional ownership stamp is apparent in the supplied photographs.
Materials:
- Embossed dark green cloth-covered boards
- Gilt-stamped decorative ornamentation
- Polychrome detailing in burgundy, turquoise-green, and blue
- Finely textured or grained cloth surface
- Blind-embossed decorative borders and corner ornament
- Elaborately decorated gilt spine
- Letterpress-printed French text
- Printed illustrations with color or two-tone decoration
- Traditional bound paper leaves
- Handwritten 19th-century ink inscriptions
**Binding:** French Romantic publisher-style cartonnage.
**Cover decoration:** Classical urns, elaborate scrolling foliage, floral garlands, architectural ornament, and symmetrical cartouches.
**Publisher:** P.-C. Lehuby, Paris.
**Publication:** Circa 1845–1860, estimated.
Dimensions:
Exact dimensions to be confirmed.
Based on the photographs relative to the hand, estimated dimensions are:
- **Height:** Approximately 9–10 inches
- **Width:** Approximately 6–7 inches
- **Spine thickness:** Approximately 1–1.25 inches
These are visual estimates rather than verified measurements.
Total page count and number of illustrations have not yet been confirmed.
Disclaimers/Condition:
The book presents attractively, retaining its richly colored dark green decorative binding, elaborate gilt ornamentation, and beautifully illustrated interior.
The front cover displays substantial original-style gilding and polychrome decoration, with much of the intricate ornamental detail remaining clearly defined.
The gilt centerpiece retains particularly attractive coloration, including turquoise-green, burgundy-red, blue, and gold detailing.
The dark green cloth covering exhibits age-related rubbing, scuffs, and general surface wear. The embossed borders remain visible, although portions show smoothing and wear from handling.
The spine retains its elaborate decorative composition and clearly legible gilt title. Rubbing, abrasions, and localized losses to the cloth and gilding are visible, particularly toward the upper and lower extremities and along the joints.
The rear cover retains its gilt ornamental centerpiece, with some fading and general surface wear.
The board corners and edges exhibit rubbing, small areas of exposed underlying material, and wear consistent with age and handling.
The interior paper displays scattered foxing, occasional staining, and age-related toning. The text and illustrations shown remain legible.
The illustrated plates retain attractive coloration, with some areas of light fading or age-related discoloration.
Several historic handwritten inscriptions remain visible on an interior leaf, including dates from 1862, 1882, and 1884. Some portions of the handwriting are difficult to decipher.
The book's binding remains intact in the supplied photographs, although the strength of the hinges, original stitching, and completeness of the printed text and illustrations have not been independently verified.
No major detached boards or significant structural breaks are apparent in the photographs provided.
The exact publication year is not printed on the photographed title page and remains an estimated date based on bibliographic and physical evidence.
As a mid-19th-century antique book, the volume is offered with age-related wear and imperfections consistent with its considerable history.
Item Title: Circa 1845–1860 French *Récits du Cœur: Contes à l’Enfance* by Madame Clémence-Marie — Ornate Green & Gilt Romantic Cartonnage, Color Illustrations & 1862–1884 Provenance Inscriptions, P.-C. Lehuby, Paris
Additional Description:
An exceptionally decorative mid-19th-century French illustrated children's book, *Récits du Cœur: Contes à l’Enfance* (*Stories of the Heart: Tales for Childhood*), written by Madame Clémence-Marie and published in Paris by P.-C. Lehuby, proprietor of the Librairie de l’Enfance et de la Jeunesse.
The volume is particularly distinguished by its richly ornamented original-style Romantic cartonnage binding, featuring a deep forest-green embossed surface and elaborate gilt and polychrome decoration.
The front board is centered with a magnificent symmetrical ornamental composition, incorporating scrolling acanthus foliage, architectural flourishes, floral arrangements, classical urns, and intricate geometric details. The design is embellished with vivid turquoise-green, burgundy-red, blue, and metallic gold decoration, creating a striking jewel-like effect against the dark green ground.
The surrounding cover features delicately embossed borders with repeating scrollwork, ornamental corner flourishes, and a finely textured surface.
The spine continues the elaborate decorative treatment, displaying the title *Récits du Cœur* in gilt lettering surrounded by richly detailed foliate ornament, scrolling cartouches, and burgundy and gold embellishments.
The rear cover retains a complementary gilt centerpiece featuring a classical urn overflowing with foliage, resting upon an architectural pedestal and framed by decorative floral garlands. This more restrained reverse design creates an elegant counterpart to the elaborate front board.
Inside, the book contains a collection of French moral and sentimental stories intended for children, accompanied by attractive illustrations printed in two tones, with additional color visible in the surviving plates.
The illustrated scenes depict intimate moments of family life, childhood instruction, charity, compassion, and religious devotion.
One particularly charming illustration portrays a seated gentleman with a young boy standing beside him, while another depicts a woman kneeling in prayer beside the bed of an ill family member, surrounded by richly colored red curtains.
The illustrations beautifully capture the domestic settings, clothing, and sentimental ideals associated with mid-19th-century European children's literature.
The title page identifies Madame Clémence-Marie as the author and P.-C. Lehuby of Paris as the publisher.
An especially interesting feature is the presence of several historic handwritten ownership and presentation inscriptions on an interior leaf, including dates in April 1862, May 1882, and January 1884. These inscriptions provide a tangible record of the book's circulation and ownership across several decades.
A beautiful example of French Romantic bookmaking, combining richly embossed decorative binding, brilliantly colored ornamentation, historic illustrations, and personal inscriptions from the 19th century.
An attractive addition to a collection of antique French books, illustrated children's literature, decorative cartonnages, or Victorian-era gift books.
Era:
**Estimated publication:** Circa 1845–1860.
**Latest evidenced publication date:** By April 1862, assuming the dated inscription is authentic and contemporary.
**Period:** Mid-19th century, French Romantic / Second Empire-era publishing.
**Binding style:** French Romantic cartonnage (*cartonnage romantique*), with embossed and polychrome gilt decoration.
**Place of publication:** Paris, France.
**Publisher:** P.-C. Lehuby, Librairie de l’Enfance et de la Jeunesse, 53 Rue de Seine, Faubourg Saint-Germain.
**Author:** Madame Clémence-Marie.
**Title:** *Récits du Cœur: Contes à l’Enfance*.
**Language:** French.
**Illustrations:** Printed illustrations described on the title page as *dessins imprimés à deux teintes* (drawings printed in two tones).
**Edition:** Not established.
The binding, decorative techniques, and publisher's imprint are consistent with books produced in France during the middle decades of the 19th century.
History:
During the middle decades of the 19th century, French publishers produced some of the most beautifully decorated illustrated books in Europe.
The development of commercial bookbinding techniques allowed publishers to create elaborate covers incorporating embossed cloth, metallic gilding, colored ornamentation, and richly detailed historical motifs.
This decorative tradition, known as *cartonnage romantique*, flourished particularly between approximately 1840 and 1870.
These books were frequently intended for children and young readers, combining moral instruction, religious education, historical narratives, and sentimental fiction with the visual appeal of luxurious bindings.
Among the notable Parisian publishers associated with this tradition was P.-C. Lehuby, whose Librairie de l’Enfance et de la Jeunesse specialized in books intended for young readers.
Lehuby's publications frequently featured richly decorated covers, elaborate gilt and polychrome designs, and finely illustrated interiors.
*Récits du Cœur: Contes à l’Enfance*, written by Madame Clémence-Marie, belongs to this important literary and decorative tradition.
The title translates to *Stories of the Heart: Tales for Childhood*, reflecting the emphasis placed upon compassion, family relationships, religious virtue, and the moral education of children.
The volume's illustrations depict intimate domestic scenes, including instruction between generations and the care of ill family members, demonstrating the sentimental and moral themes common in contemporary literature.
The elaborate decorative binding is especially representative of French Romantic-era craftsmanship.
Its classical urns, elaborate foliate scrollwork, architectural flourishes, and symmetrical ornamental arrangements draw upon Renaissance and Rococo decorative traditions.
The richly colored gilt centerpiece and intricate embossed borders reflect the period's fascination with historical ornament and luxurious presentation.
Books of this type were often given as gifts, awarded as educational prizes, or preserved within family libraries.
The dated handwritten inscriptions found within this example are particularly evocative of that tradition, providing a personal connection to readers who possessed the volume during the 19th century.
Today, such books are appreciated both for their literary and historical significance and for their extraordinary decorative bindings, which represent an important chapter in the history of French publishing and book design.
Provenance:
Private collection.
Published in Paris by P.-C. Lehuby, 53 Rue de Seine, Faubourg Saint-Germain.
The volume retains several handwritten inscriptions documenting historic ownership or presentation.
The earliest inscription appears to read:
**“Rose Émilie [surname uncertain]
Souvenir de Paris
Avril 1862
Londres”**
This inscription suggests the book may have been acquired or presented in Paris and subsequently associated with London in April 1862.
A second inscription appears to include the name **Annie** and the date **May 1882**, although the surname or accompanying words remain difficult to decipher.
A third inscription, written in a smaller hand, appears to include an additional personal name and **January 1884**.
These inscriptions document the book's circulation among several individuals during the latter half of the 19th century.
The full names, precise relationships between the owners, and circumstances of acquisition have not been established.
No additional bookplate or identifiable institutional ownership stamp is apparent in the supplied photographs.
Materials:
- Embossed dark green cloth-covered boards
- Gilt-stamped decorative ornamentation
- Polychrome detailing in burgundy, turquoise-green, and blue
- Finely textured or grained cloth surface
- Blind-embossed decorative borders and corner ornament
- Elaborately decorated gilt spine
- Letterpress-printed French text
- Printed illustrations with color or two-tone decoration
- Traditional bound paper leaves
- Handwritten 19th-century ink inscriptions
**Binding:** French Romantic publisher-style cartonnage.
**Cover decoration:** Classical urns, elaborate scrolling foliage, floral garlands, architectural ornament, and symmetrical cartouches.
**Publisher:** P.-C. Lehuby, Paris.
**Publication:** Circa 1845–1860, estimated.
Dimensions:
Exact dimensions to be confirmed.
Based on the photographs relative to the hand, estimated dimensions are:
- **Height:** Approximately 9–10 inches
- **Width:** Approximately 6–7 inches
- **Spine thickness:** Approximately 1–1.25 inches
These are visual estimates rather than verified measurements.
Total page count and number of illustrations have not yet been confirmed.
Disclaimers/Condition:
The book presents attractively, retaining its richly colored dark green decorative binding, elaborate gilt ornamentation, and beautifully illustrated interior.
The front cover displays substantial original-style gilding and polychrome decoration, with much of the intricate ornamental detail remaining clearly defined.
The gilt centerpiece retains particularly attractive coloration, including turquoise-green, burgundy-red, blue, and gold detailing.
The dark green cloth covering exhibits age-related rubbing, scuffs, and general surface wear. The embossed borders remain visible, although portions show smoothing and wear from handling.
The spine retains its elaborate decorative composition and clearly legible gilt title. Rubbing, abrasions, and localized losses to the cloth and gilding are visible, particularly toward the upper and lower extremities and along the joints.
The rear cover retains its gilt ornamental centerpiece, with some fading and general surface wear.
The board corners and edges exhibit rubbing, small areas of exposed underlying material, and wear consistent with age and handling.
The interior paper displays scattered foxing, occasional staining, and age-related toning. The text and illustrations shown remain legible.
The illustrated plates retain attractive coloration, with some areas of light fading or age-related discoloration.
Several historic handwritten inscriptions remain visible on an interior leaf, including dates from 1862, 1882, and 1884. Some portions of the handwriting are difficult to decipher.
The book's binding remains intact in the supplied photographs, although the strength of the hinges, original stitching, and completeness of the printed text and illustrations have not been independently verified.
No major detached boards or significant structural breaks are apparent in the photographs provided.
The exact publication year is not printed on the photographed title page and remains an estimated date based on bibliographic and physical evidence.
As a mid-19th-century antique book, the volume is offered with age-related wear and imperfections consistent with its considerable history.