Rare, Striking 1808-10 Hand-colored French "Coquilles" Bookplate Engravings exotic wood rich color throughout

rich color throughout

and I just found it all these hands and feet together pretty striking

Sold as found in a frame that looks to be lacquered and painted wood and shows a bit of loss around a couple of edges

Front clasp closes and holds tight

But it is the painting of the horse at the center of the wall box that really sold me on this--definitely the improvisatory addition of whoever made this many years ago

Rare, Striking 1808-10 Hand-colored French "Coquilles" Bookplate Engravings exotic wood rich color throughoutSOLD : E, F My photos do not do these hand colored bookplate woodcut engravings justice they are subtle but quite stunning I think, with the interplay of the engraving and the coloration making them feel both unusual and really rather exquisite. They come from a scarce 1808 10 work "Conchyliogie systmatique et classification mthodique des coquilles," by the French naturalist Pierre Denys de Montfort (1766 1820) with the plates drawn and engraved by