Catalogue des Porcelaines Françaises de M.J. Pierpont Morgan

Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, 1910. Near fine. M. Margelidon. Large 4to, 12 x 9 in. (300 x 225 mm); pp. vii + 163 + engraved frontispiece showing allegorical figures and symbols of art, music, literature and time + 50 color plates with rice paper guards inscribed with legend; some offset to verso of illustration and guards. Printed on specially-produced heavy paper by Arches, uncut; pages clean and crisp. Polished light brown calf binding by Pagnant (stamp-signed on front turn-in) with gilt fillets and corner fleur-de-lys and profile decorations on boards; 5 raised bands with gilt titling and decorations in compartments, floral scrolls and fillets in gilt on turn-ins, marbled endpapers. Some rubbing on edges and spine, slight wear on front hinge; housed in original publisher's faux-shagreen covered slipcase edged in morocco, lined with flannel (worn). The author and printer of the color plates and frontispiece is M. Margelidon and the text by M. le Comte de Chavagnac, cataloguer commissioned by J.P. Morgan. 150 numbered copies for private circulation of which this is no. 115.

Colophon: "Ce catalogue a été publié sous la direction de m. le comte de Chavagnac, auteur du texte."--p. 163.
"Il a été tiré de cet ouvrage 150 exemplaires, numérotés de 1 à 150."
"Ce catalogue a été publié sous la direction de M. le comte X. de Chavagnac, auteur du texte, et imprimé par l'Imprimerie Nationale avec l'autorisation de M. Le Garde des Sceaux, ministre de la justice. Les planches ont été executées et tirées par M. Margelidon. Le papier a été fabriqué spécialement par les papeteries d'Arches."

[Weinrich p. 153]. With a total of 208 items fully described and organized by regions this volume was commissioned by J.P. Morgan to beautifully illustrate and catalogue his well-heeled collection of French porcelains comprising objects from vases and table ware to figurines and clocks dating from 1677 to 1910. It was meant for private circulation and printed in France.

No expense was spared to created this superb volume to honor the glory and collecting acumen of the financier J.P.Morgan. The first copy from Mr. Morgan's Library (MML) bears the same light brown calf binding by Pagnant as this excellent and scarce copy.