Les Cent Merveilles des Sciences et des Arts | Jules Lacroix de Marlès | 1850 | French Cartonnage Romantique Prize Binding

A beautiful and scarce example of mid-19th-century French cartonnage romantique, Les Cent Merveilles des Sciences et des Arts by Jules Lacroix de Marlès, published in Tours by Ad Mame et Cie in 1850. This is the second edition, issued only three years after the first edition of 1847.

The volume is especially notable for its extraordinary original publisher’s binding: white lithographed and embossed paper over boards and spine, elaborately decorated in raised white and gold with intertwined ivy, flowers, scrolling foliage and ornamental strapwork. An elaborate example of the decorative gift and prize bindings produced by the celebrated French publishing house Mame during the Romantic period.

Les Cent Merveilles des Sciences et des Arts—The Hundred Wonders of Science and the Arts—was written as an illustrated survey of scientific, technological and industrial achievement. Marlès discusses inventions, discoveries, machines, scientific instruments, navigation, optics, hydraulics, mining and other achievements of human ingenuity. 

On the inner front board is an 1851 French school prize presentation label mounted at the front. Issued by the Université de France, Académie de Bourges, Collège de Sancerre for the 1850–1851 academic year, the handwritten presentation records the recipient and is dated at Sancerre, August 24, 1851. The survival of the prize label together with the highly decorative publisher’s binding provides an appealing glimpse into the French tradition of presenting handsome books as academic awards.

The book remains in very good antique condition. Internally there is occasional light age toning. There is light cracking/separation to the paper along the inner front board/endpaper area, as photographed; importantly, the binding itself remains tight and secure. 

A striking example of French Romantic-period book design combining decorative binding, scientific history and documented academic provenance. Particularly desirable for a collection of French cartonnage, 19th-century decorative bindings, illustrated science books or French prize books.