1850.]. Oblong folio, pp. [ii] elaborately engraved title-page, and 30 vibrant lithograph plates finished by hand; plate 26 detached and plate 29 loose, some light foxing and soiling throughout, and with evidence of dampstaining at gutters sporadically throughout, images generally clean and bright though with a few abrasions in places; contemporary sheep-backed red embossed paper boards, with red paper label lettered in gilt on upper cover (chipped with some loss), head of spine chipped with loss, tail of spine nicked and worn, rear joint cracked but holding though rear inner hinge therefore weak, boards somewhat scratched, scuffed and soiled with some loss of paper, extremities rubbed and worn; despite wear, still a striking and scarce album. A wonderful and rare decorative arts album produced in celebration of the French Industrial Exhibition of 1849, comprised of thirty large coloured lithographic plates (divided into six fascicles), a number clearly finished by hand, depicting a selection of fine pieces of furniture made by some of the most noted makers of the day. As such it provides a fascinating glimpse into Parisian mid-19th century design trends and fashions, at the start of the Second Republic under the President Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte (three years before he overthrew the Republic and proclaimed himself Emperor Napoleon III). A wide range of items are vibrantly depicted which would have graced the finest salons and boudoirs, including fabric drapes for four poster beds by Krieger, armchairs, sideboards and marbled-topped tables by Jeanselme, ornate mirrored armoires by Tetard and also by Richtaedt, billiard tables by Guilelouvette, and dining room sideboards by Charmois and Munz.
Désiré Guilmard (1810-1885), began his career as an engineer-surveyor, though soon developed an interest in the decorative arts. In 1839 he founded the illustrated periodical ‘Le Garde-meuble ancien et moderne’, which specialized in ornament and furniture, the drawings being executed by Guilmard himself. A key figure in the Parisian design community he became an influential purveyor of taste for over fifty years, in a period of economic growth and changing tastes. In conjunction with the first Paris industrial exposition in 1844 Guilmard produced ‘Gare-Meuble, Album de l’exposition de l’industrie, 1844. Ameublemens’, exhibiting in 30 plates the work of some 250 cabinet makers and other artisans.
The present album, whilst standing alone, appears to have been the first in a series published by Jansen and Guilmard for the 1849 exhibition. The album has the ‘No. 1’ on the printed label on the front cover, and the Victoria and Albert Universal Catalogue of Books on Art notes further volumes under the title ‘Le Guide du Fabricant de Meubles et du Décorateur’. Jansen is described on the title page of the seventh part as ‘Profr de Dessin, lithphe, ancien fabnt de meubles’. Only a handful of these albums are now located on OCLC, and we have so far found no copy of a complete run. The pair worked together to produce an album for the 1855 Universal Exhibition.