ST. DUNSTAN EDITION GUINEVERE by George D. Sproul; - 1902: Illuminated by Nestore Leoni

ST. DUNSTAN EDITION GUINEVERE

Published by George D. Sproul; The University Press, Cambridge, UK

1902

Illuminated by Nestore Leoni

This beautifully bound and illuminated edition is signed and numbered from an edition of thirty copies comprising this installment in Sproul's St. Dunstan series.

This is number 11, one of eighteen for sale in the United States and Twelve that were for sale in Europe. Signed by the illuminator, Nestore Leoni, and Sproul below the edition statement, which additionally should announce that this particular copy was printed for the subscriber but this copy is blank and that no two copies are alike.

Illuminated throughout in gold and colors, with elaborate borders and numerous large initials, text on rectos only. Blue morocco elaborately gilt, double gilt fillet border surrounding floral and circular designs of turquoise, brown and white morocco onlays, each corner with gilt stamped "T," spine in six compartments with five raised bands, gilt-lettered longitudinally down the spine, blue morocco doublures with turquoise, white and brown morocco onlays forming a rectangle made up of 24 squares each with a central white morocco onlaid design surrounding a large central brown morocco square with blue morocco floral designs, turn-ins stamp-signed by TRAUTZ-BAUZONNET,

The publisher George D. Sproul engaged the Trautz-Bauzonnet Bindery to produce fine bindings for his St. Dunstan Editions, and their name appears on his letterhead. This firm apparently assumed the name of the famous 19th-century Parisian firm, the collaboration of Antoine Bauzonnet (1795-1886) and Georges Trautz (1808-1879). From 1840, the work of that firm was signed "Bauzonnet-Trautz." After Bauzonnet's retirement in 1851, work was signed "Trautz-Bauzonnet." In 1869, Georges Trautz became the first binder to receive the distinction, "Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur." When he died in 1879, he left no successor.

Illuminated in the style of Medieval manuscripts by the Florentine artist Nestore Leoni.

Each page opens with a decorated initial, richly gilt, in regal shades of red, blue, and green. On some pages, the decoration extends into a border or a head- or tailpiece comprised of regal florals.

Nestore Leoni (February 14, 1862 in L'Aquila, Abruzzo – 1947) was an Italian painter and illuminator of manuscripts

He was a resident of Florence. He first studied in L'Aquila, but later dedicated himself to the study of classic illumination of texts, including those in the Florentine Libraries, and set himself to imitating the antique.

Among his first works was the cover of an Album, commemorating the arrival of the Emperor William II of Germany to Rome. This work was praised by the professor Niccolo Barabino of Florence. Leoni was utilized to make designs for porcelain and for documents given in memory of occasions, for example by the Società Filarmonica Fiorentina to Madame Hastreiter, after a charity concert. Cavaliere Civelli commissioned from him covers for his edition of La Vita Nuova by Dante, which he decorated on parchment, in a style from the 1500s, reproduced with chromolithography. He also completed in similar style the Canzone di Cino da Pistoia to Dante, on Death of Beatrice, offered to the queen of Italy in occasion of the centenary of Beatrice Portinari.