BIRD AND BULL PRESS. FAVRE, Maurice. ~ La Relieuse. Charles Meunier's Plaquette, 1900: A rare and beautiful depiction of The Bookbinder in medallic art.
Cast of a plaquette of a woman sewing a binding in pewter, this is a reproduction of both the front and back of the original plaquette by Maurice Favre which was cast in 1900 for Meunier. The plaquette is 7.9 x 5.2cms. With 4pp. folding text by Henry Morris. No stated limitation but this was a limited edition. Sm. 8vo, (18.2 x 13.1 cms) housed in the original blue cloth case which has a frame for the plaquette, gilt lettering on upper cover. Very good.
The text, written with the help of Marianne Tidcombe, relates that the French bookbinder Charles Meunier (1865-1940) had the original plaquette of a woman sewing a book on a frame made in both pewter and some in bronze to give to friends and customers. The back of the plaquette has the words “Aux amis de la maison du livre, 1900, Ch. Meunier” and was probably given out at the 1900 exhibition of his bindings Meunier held at his atelier on 75 boulevard Malesherbes.