This refined devotional volume, printed in Paris in 1752 by the royal printer Antoine Boudet, represents the intersection of Jesuit spirituality and Parisian luxury bookbinding during the reign of Louis XV. Compact in its 12mo format and richly decorated, the book stands as both a guide to spiritual discipline and a work of eighteenth century French craftsmanship.
A Jesuit devotional printed for the royal court
Père Griffet, a noted Jesuit preacher and spiritual author, composed Exercice de Piété pour la Communion for the cultivated Parisian elite who sought daily guidance in preparation for the sacrament. Boudet, printer to the King and one of the most prestigious presses on the rue Saint Jacques, produced the volume with crisp typography, clean margins, and a polished clarity that reflects the devotional purpose of the text.
A luxury binding in red morocco
The volume is bound in fine red morocco richly gilt with floral scrollwork, rosettes, and delicate pointillé ornaments characteristic of the decorative vocabulary of mid eighteenth century Paris. The interior gilt doublures, still bright and largely untouched, signal that this copy was commissioned as a refined devotional object rather than an everyday handbook.
An early nineteenth century pencil note identifies the binding as the work of Derome le jeune. While unsigned, the design and finesse are fully consistent with the celebrated Derome workshop whose bindings defined Parisian elegance for decades.
Condition
The book survives in very good condition for its age.
The binding is solid, with only light rubbing to corners and small tears at the spine ends.
The boards retain their colour with minimal surface wear.
The interior remains crisp and clean with tight gatherings and only faint foxing.
All edges are gilt and the gilt doublures are beautifully preserved with mild toning.
Provenance and attribution
A contemporary note on the front flyleaf attributes the binding to Derome le jeune. This evidence, paired with the stylistic consistency of the tooling, positions the volume within the circle of one of France’s most admired eighteenth century binders.
Why this book matters
This devotional is more than a liturgical handbook. It is a testament to how Parisian book artisans rendered spiritual texts into precious objects designed to accompany their owners through daily reflection.
The combination of Jesuit authorship, royal printing, and a luxury morocco binding makes this an exceptionally attractive piece for collectors of French devotionals, eighteenth century fine bindings, and Derome workshop books.
This refined devotional volume, printed in Paris in 1752 by the royal printer Antoine Boudet, represents the intersection of Jesuit spirituality and Parisian luxury bookbinding during the reign of Louis XV. Compact in its 12mo format and richly decorated, the book stands as both a guide to spiritual discipline and a work of eighteenth century French craftsmanship.
A Jesuit devotional printed for the royal court
Père Griffet, a noted Jesuit preacher and spiritual author, composed Exercice de Piété pour la Communion for the cultivated Parisian elite who sought daily guidance in preparation for the sacrament. Boudet, printer to the King and one of the most prestigious presses on the rue Saint Jacques, produced the volume with crisp typography, clean margins, and a polished clarity that reflects the devotional purpose of the text.
A luxury binding in red morocco
The volume is bound in fine red morocco richly gilt with floral scrollwork, rosettes, and delicate pointillé ornaments characteristic of the decorative vocabulary of mid eighteenth century Paris. The interior gilt doublures, still bright and largely untouched, signal that this copy was commissioned as a refined devotional object rather than an everyday handbook.
An early nineteenth century pencil note identifies the binding as the work of Derome le jeune. While unsigned, the design and finesse are fully consistent with the celebrated Derome workshop whose bindings defined Parisian elegance for decades.
Condition
The book survives in very good condition for its age.
The binding is solid, with only light rubbing to corners and small tears at the spine ends.
The boards retain their colour with minimal surface wear.
The interior remains crisp and clean with tight gatherings and only faint foxing.
All edges are gilt and the gilt doublures are beautifully preserved with mild toning.
Provenance and attribution
A contemporary note on the front flyleaf attributes the binding to Derome le jeune. This evidence, paired with the stylistic consistency of the tooling, positions the volume within the circle of one of France’s most admired eighteenth century binders.
Why this book matters
This devotional is more than a liturgical handbook. It is a testament to how Parisian book artisans rendered spiritual texts into precious objects designed to accompany their owners through daily reflection.
The combination of Jesuit authorship, royal printing, and a luxury morocco binding makes this an exceptionally attractive piece for collectors of French devotionals, eighteenth century fine bindings, and Derome workshop books.
Image 1 of 12
Image 2 of 12
Image 3 of 12
Image 4 of 12
Image 5 of 12
Image 6 of 12
Image 7 of 12
Image 8 of 12
Image 9 of 12
Image 10 of 12
Image 11 of 12
Image 12 of 12