Retraite spirituelle à l'usage des communautés religieuses

BOURDALOUE (Louis). Retraite spirituelle à l’usage des communautés religieuses.
Paris: Du fonds de MM. Anisson, chez les Libraires associés, 1747.

12mo (172 × 103 mm). (12) ff., 406 pp., (11) ff. Contemporary crimson glazed morocco, blind fillet border, arms stamped at centre, blind fleurs-de-lys cornerpieces, smooth spine tooled with bold blind fillets and gilt title; gilt edges, gilt fillet to board edges, gilt turn-ins, azure moiré endpapers.

First edition.
A distinguished copy bearing the arms of Madame Marie-Adélaïde (1732–1800), eldest daughter of Louis XV and Marie Leszczyńska.

Each of the Mesdames de France (Marie-Adélaïde, Victoire, and Sophie) maintained a separate library, the volumes of which were largely bound for them by Fournier, bookseller and binder at Versailles (Guigard).
As noted by Quentin-Bauchart, “of the three daughters of Louis XV, Madame Adélaïde is the only one who truly deserves a place among bibliophiles.”

Bindings from their libraries follow a well-defined chromatic code:
– red morocco for Marie-Adélaïde,
– olive-green for Victoire,
– citron morocco for Sophie.

A very attractive copy, with only faint darkening along the lower margin of the front cover and a few minor spots or light foxing internally.

References: Guigard, Guide de l’amateur de livres armoriés, p. 103; OHR 2514; Quentin-Bauchart II, Les Femmes bibliophiles, 125; Brunet I, 1175.