Beschreibung:

CHODERLOS DE LACLOS, Pierre Ambroise François (1741-1803). Les Liaisons Dangereuses… Londres [actually Paris], 1796 [volume I is possibly 1812]. 8vos. Illustrated with frontispieces, an engraved portrait and 13 engraved plates inserted throughout. 2 volumes, after Monnet and Girard. 415 [1, blank]; [iv], [1]-398 pp. Half-titles present in both volumes. Title-pages with neat red ink outlines. Approximately 8 x 4 ¾”. Beautifully bound in near contemporary full dark green straight grain morocco, boards decoratively ruled in gilt and blind, spines tooled and lettered in gilt in compartments, five raised bands, gilt board edges and turn-ins, yellow silk doublures and liners, all edges gilt (spines a bit toned, some minor rubbing to boards, light wear to corners and spines, a few gutters overopened, some occasional foxing in text). Near fine. POSSIBLE MIXED EDITION OF THE FIRST ILLUSTRATED EDITION (the title-page of volume 1 is tipped-in and one of the plates in volume 1 have the initials of the engraver who re-did the plates for the 1812 reissue; volume 2 is the 1796 first illustrated edition). One of the earliest examples of a psychological novel, Dangerous Liaisons caused an immediate sensation. “Laclos’s epistolary novel offers spectacular opportunities for illustration, which are firmly grasped in this edition… They are not likely to be superseded, however often this celebrated novel is illustrated.” (Ray, Art of the French Illustrated Book, 82). From the collection of diplomat Douglas Maxwell Moffat (1881-1956) with his bookplate on both fps.