LA FONTAINE Jean de (1621-1695) - Fables choisies. Paris: Desaint, Saillant et Durant, 1755-1759.   "One of the most ambitious and successful of all illustrated books" (Ray) in its first state: the first plate of fable CLXXII without the words ‘Le Leopard’ added later on the banner. Jean-Baptiste Oudry (1686-1755) illustrated La Fontaine’s fables between 1729 and 1734 after which Cochin turned the drawings into prints, thus creating the spectacular illustrations seen in the volumes.   4 volumes, folio (418 x 271mm). Half-titles, additional engraved allegorical title by Dupuis and Cochin after Oudry, engraved vignettes on titles by Nicolas Le Sureur after Jean-Jacques Bachelier, 275 engraved plates by various artists after Oudry, a few plates with the numbering corrected in ink (without engraved portrait as in some other copies, without final blank in vols. I and II, some light browning, foxing and occasional staining, some touches of restoration heavier in the final volume, 3 leaves towards the end of vol. III with a tiny wormtrack in bottom margin far from text). Contemporary calf, gilt spine with title and volume numbers on labels, red edges, marbled endpapers (the final volume rebacked preserving the original spine, the others with minor restorations, some wear to spine labels, lighter wear to joints, etremities and corners). (4)

Estimate € 1,500 - 2,500

Sold € 1,500