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The binding reproduced above is from a 2009 Alde auction catalogue, Vente Biblioth¸que du Vicomte Couppel du Lude, Lundi 23 novembre 2009, Alde - Paris. The image is a bit blurred in the central section, no doubt due to some printing glitch. I have reproduced the item (36) description below and it would be good to have an expert translate this, because the story of this binding is really interesting. Apparently the famous binder Joseph Thouvenin, student of Fran¨ois Bozerian, and one of three major French bookbinders of the 19th century, gave this binding as a gift to a old work associate and friend, as a model of excellence and perfect mastery of the art (of decorative bookbinding). This is a huge compliment to the work of Ruette from a master binder some two centuries later... can there be any doubt that Antoine Ruette ranks as one of the greatest binders of the 17th century!
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