1812.]. Two parts in one volume, 24mo, pp. [iv] ‘Envoie à Julie’ and engraved title-page, 48, with six engraved plates; pp. [i] engraved title-page ‘Petit Souvenir des Dames’, [23] blank pages for weekly (with ruled borders) and monthly notes (with engraved ornamental border) and including four blank pages at end with ruled borders, [12] printed letterpress calendar dated 1812; some light marginal browning throughout and occasional minor soiling, but otherwise good; small booklabel of 'W. Forbes Morgan….Mayfair' pasted at head of front pastedown; attractively bound in green watered silk with decorative gilt borders with classical design, all edges gilt, with matching green silk covered slip case, with remains of silk thread for removal from slipcase, some spotting to one cover of slipcase, but otherwise an appealing copy. A scarce and attractively bound literary keepsake and almanac for fashionable ladies on the theme of ‘the art of pleasing’, containing a series of poems and songs on the theme of love, romance and gallantry. Six of the verses are accompanied by an attractive engraving illustrating the romance in question: Charles VII et Agnès Sorel; François Ier et la Belle Féronnière; La Belle Gabrielle; Henri IV et la Belle Gabrielle; Louis XIV et Mlle de la Vallière; and Bayard et Mme de Randant. The literary section is followed by the ‘Petit Souvenir des Dames’, which has its own title-page, and includes a series of blank pages for weekly and monthly notes, and concluding with a printed letterpress calendar for 1812.
Such almanacs were typical given as New Years Day gifts and were extremely popular. Pierre-Claude-Louis Janet, also known as Louis Janet (1788-1840) was perhaps one of the most famous publisher’s of the genre, and his publications are renown for being attractively produced and bound. The BnF lists him as a ‘Bookseller and bookbinder. – Son of the Parisian bookseller-bookbinder Pierre-Étienne Janet (1746-1830) and brother of the music publisher Pierre-Honoré Janet (1779? -1832) and of the engraver-publisher François-Pierre Janet (1784-1870)’. As ‘libraire-relieurs’ they specialized in popular printing, music, almanacs, children’s books, and small gift books known as keepsakes, all ephemeral publications which could be issued and re-issued with different calendars and bindings.