Jeanne d’Arc by Louis-Maurice Boutet de Monvel 1896 First Edition, French Illustrated Joan of Arc Book

DESCRIPTION

A complete 1896 first edition of Jeanne d’Arc by Louis-Maurice Boutet de Monvel, published in Paris by E. Plon, Nourrit et Cie, Imprimeurs-Éditeurs. This large-format French illustrated children’s book presents the life of Joan of Arc through full-color plates and narrative text, with all illustrations executed by the author. Though the binding is compromised and requires stabilization, the copy remains complete with plates intact, making it a meaningful antiquarian volume for collectors of French illustrated books, Joan of Arc material, and late 19th-century children’s publications.

WORTH NOTING

• Author: Boutet de Monvel, Louis Maurice
• Title: Jeanne d’Arc
• Publisher: E. Plon, Nourrit et Cie, Imprimeurs-Éditeurs
• Place of Publication: Paris
• Year: 1896
• Edition: First Edition, assumed by date and publisher
• Printing: Not stated
• Binding: Original illustrated publisher’s boards
• Dust Jacket: None
• ISBN, if applicable: Pre-ISBN era
• Illustrations: Fully illustrated by the author with color plates and text illustrations
• Pagination: Not stated
• Dimensions: Not measured
• Language: French
• Provenance: None observed
• Signed: Not signed
• Notable Attributes: First Edition; author-illustrated; large format illustrated children’s book; original publisher’s binding
• Edition Verification Notes: Date 1896 present; no later printings stated

MEASUREMENTS

• Format: large-format hardcover / illustrated publisher’s boards
• Dimensions: not measured
• Measurements are approximate / not available at time of listing

CONDITION

Good- antique condition. Boards show surface wear, rubbing, soiling, visible marks, and edge wear. Corners are bumped and worn. Spine is heavily worn with visible splitting, loss, and structural weakness at the joints. Binding is shaken and unstable, requiring stabilization or conservation. Interior pages show toning consistent with age, with occasional edge wear and handling marks. No inscriptions or bookplates observed. No dust jacket, as issued. Some signs of stress to the hinges and gatherings; conservation is recommended for long-term preservation. All pages are present and plates are intact, placing the condition as Good-: complete copy with compromised binding, loose endpapers, and intact plates. Photographs are considered part of the condition description.

FROM THE HOUSE

This is the sort of book that deserves a careful collector — not a pristine shelf ornament, but a complete and visually important antiquarian volume with beauty, history, and restoration potential. It is well suited for the collector of Boutet de Monvel, French illustrated children’s books, Joan of Arc material, or as a serious addition to a library focused on late 19th-century illustration.

Carefully packed and shipped from The House of Genevieve.

~ Maxwell