Histoire des Templiers by J.-J.-E. Roy | 1848 | Cartonnage Romantique in Gilt, Green, and Floral Design

Title translation: History of the Templars

An extraordinary example of cartonnage romantique, this 1848 edition of Histoire des Templiers by J.-J.-E. Roy is as much an artifact of 19th-century bookbinding artistry as it is a historical account of the Knights Templar.

Published in Tours by A. Mame et Cie., this volume is bound in a vibrant publisher’s cloth with intricate gilt tooling, emerald and plum-toned panels, and embossed floral medallions. The decorative gilt latticework and central rose motifs are hallmarks of France’s golden age of ornamental bindings.

Inside, the work chronicles the rise and fall of the famed medieval military order, accompanied by dramatic full-page engravings depicting pivotal scenes: royal courts, sacred rites, fierce battles, and moments of martyrdom. This visually and textually compelling book is a rare marriage of content and craftsmanship.

Binding is vibrant and richly gilt. Engravings remain crisp and well-preserved under tissue guards. Secure binding. Mild scattered foxing.

Condition: Very Good++

Size: 4 1/2” x 7 1/4”

Highly collectible. This is a showstopping piece for collectors of religious history, Gothic and chivalric literature, or 19th-century French bindings.