Fleury - Abrege des principes du blason - 1690

Fleury Claude

Abridged principles of the blazon (heraldry) manuscript by Monsieur the Abbe Fleury, tutor to my lords the Dukes of Burgundy of Anjou and of Berry.

France - 1690 (circa) -

(2), 68, (92) pp.
In octavo - 18 x 11 cm -

splendid MANUAL OF ARMS (HERALDRY), ENTIRELY HANDWRITTEN AUTOGRAPH OF ABATE CLAUDE FLEURY (1641-1723).

Fleury, sub-preceptor between 1689 and 1705 to the sons of the Grand Dauphin, grandsons of Louis XIV, and confessor of Louis XV, is the author
of the important “Storia ecclesiastica” (1691-1720), later translated into Italian and German.

Contains 233 small coats of arms, more than half of which are colored with watercolor. Remarkable the polychrome quality used by Fleury, with beautiful large coats of arms, 8 at 1/2 page, 5 full page, in addition to the allegorical coat of arms of Louis XIV folded (slight restoration away from the coat of arms, in the lower corner).

Some unfinished sketches towards the end of the manuscript, which might be by the hands of the royal descendants, besides 3 blank sheets at the end and
3 blank sheets interleaved in the text.

Beautiful and sturdy eighteenth-century full leather binding, which preserves the original sixteenth-century spine bearing elaborate decorations and a red morocco inset.

Good internal condition, with slight browning of the pages, which do not spoil the splendid contemporary watercolor coloration of the numerous heraldic arms. Small restorations, at the lower corner with paper reinforcement, to the first 2/3 pages (the first blank) and to the folded plate bearing the coat of arms of Louis XIV. Small loss at the lower corner of one page, far from the text.
3 blank leaves interposed in the manuscript and 3 final blank leaves.
Early guards, with edges slightly speckled with minium.

Excellent and evocative copy, entirely manuscript and original in every part.
The pages seem to be all present, though some are partially incomplete.