A noble-provenance set of French classical theatre in five volumes (ten tomes)
This handsome 1758 Paris edition of Œuvres de Pierre Corneille brings together the complete dramatic works of one of France’s foundational playwrights. Corneille, whose Le Cid, Horace, and Polyeucte shaped the very language and architecture of French classical tragedy, stands at the heart of the Grand Siècle. His plays — balancing moral gravity, political tension, and stylistic restraint — became pillars of 17th-century theatre and set the stage for the dramatic tradition that would define Europe for generations.
Printed by the Veuve Bordelett, this edition divides Corneille’s oeuvre into ten tomes, here bound into five volumes in contemporary mottled calf. The bindings feature gilt-tooled spines, contrasting red and black labels, and red-sprinkled edges: the characteristic aesthetic of mid-18th-century Parisian bookmaking. The set has acquired the dignified patina of age, while the interiors remain clean and impressively well preserved.
Noble Provenance
Four of the five volumes bear an engraved armorial bookplate with coronet and the initials H.U.D.B., almost certainly belonging to a member of the French nobility. The presence of such a personal heraldic ex-libris not only anchors the set to a particular social world — the libraries of the ancien régime — but also enhances its historical and collectible importance.
Bibliographic Details
Œuvres de Corneille.
Paris: Veuve Bordelett, 1758.
Five volumes (ten tomes).
Contemporary mottled calf bindings with gilt spines and red edges.
Language: French.
Armorial bookplate (in four volumes).
Condition
The bindings show rubbing and edge wear consistent with mid-18th-century calf, but remain structurally sound and handsome on the shelf. Interiors are remarkably clean, with strong impressions and minimal foxing. A well-preserved and coherent set.
Why this set is significant
Corneille’s works were essential to the intellectual landscape of early modern France — studied, performed, debated, and emulated. A complete antique set from 1758, especially with noble provenance, provides not only literary value but also material testimony to how classical theatre was read and curated in the libraries of the French elite.
For collectors of French literature, 18th-century bindings, or provenance-rich sets, this ensemble offers a rare and distinguished opportunity.
A noble-provenance set of French classical theatre in five volumes (ten tomes)
This handsome 1758 Paris edition of Œuvres de Pierre Corneille brings together the complete dramatic works of one of France’s foundational playwrights. Corneille, whose Le Cid, Horace, and Polyeucte shaped the very language and architecture of French classical tragedy, stands at the heart of the Grand Siècle. His plays — balancing moral gravity, political tension, and stylistic restraint — became pillars of 17th-century theatre and set the stage for the dramatic tradition that would define Europe for generations.
Printed by the Veuve Bordelett, this edition divides Corneille’s oeuvre into ten tomes, here bound into five volumes in contemporary mottled calf. The bindings feature gilt-tooled spines, contrasting red and black labels, and red-sprinkled edges: the characteristic aesthetic of mid-18th-century Parisian bookmaking. The set has acquired the dignified patina of age, while the interiors remain clean and impressively well preserved.
Noble Provenance
Four of the five volumes bear an engraved armorial bookplate with coronet and the initials H.U.D.B., almost certainly belonging to a member of the French nobility. The presence of such a personal heraldic ex-libris not only anchors the set to a particular social world — the libraries of the ancien régime — but also enhances its historical and collectible importance.
Bibliographic Details
Œuvres de Corneille.
Paris: Veuve Bordelett, 1758.
Five volumes (ten tomes).
Contemporary mottled calf bindings with gilt spines and red edges.
Language: French.
Armorial bookplate (in four volumes).
Condition
The bindings show rubbing and edge wear consistent with mid-18th-century calf, but remain structurally sound and handsome on the shelf. Interiors are remarkably clean, with strong impressions and minimal foxing. A well-preserved and coherent set.
Why this set is significant
Corneille’s works were essential to the intellectual landscape of early modern France — studied, performed, debated, and emulated. A complete antique set from 1758, especially with noble provenance, provides not only literary value but also material testimony to how classical theatre was read and curated in the libraries of the French elite.
For collectors of French literature, 18th-century bindings, or provenance-rich sets, this ensemble offers a rare and distinguished opportunity.
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