Gracieuse, La . Pairault, P. et Cie. Paris. 1896. 8- point. Aladdin ou la Lampe Merveilleuse (57 pp.); Ali Baba ou les Quarante Voleurs (58pp.); L'Enfant Prodigue. Le Juif Errant (60pp.); Fenelon: Fables et Allegories (61pp.); La Fontaine: Quelques Fables (59pp.); Florian: Quelques Fables (61pp.); Hegesippe Moreau: Le Neveu de la Fruitiere (64pp.); Perrault: Le Petit Chaperon Rouge. Les Fees (60pp.); Chanoine Schmid: Quelques Contes (60pp.); Morel de Vinde: La Morale de l'Enfance (62pp.). The small wooden Louis XV style bookcase/cabinet (13 x 8 x 4.5 cm) with bombe-shaped sides and hinged front door with beveled glass panel, glass shelf, and brass handle, is covered with brocade tapestry and gilt braid, and contains inside ten miniature books dated 1896. The cabinet has "La Gracieuse avec ses dix volumes, Modèle déposé" printed in gilt on bottom of bookcase.
An example of a miniature book publisher greatly enhancing the presentation of their juvenile books - seeking a more refined and wealthy audience. Excellent condition, the set complete with original 10 miniature books. A similar, but incomplete, set was sold for £450 in Michael Garbett's Catalogue 16, item 22, January 1998, 25 years ago (as photographed in his original catalogue).
Bondy, 78-80. Bromer & Edison. Miniature books, 142-145. Houghton, 72, 73, 78, 79, 85, 86, 92, 101. Welsh, 78, 79, 2647, 2796, 2846, 4238, 5143, 5145, 5524, 6175. OCLC, 1045068376. WorldCat locates 3 copies worldwide. #OABA7