Marthe, ou La Sœur Hospitalière | 1851 French Cartonnage Book

A lovely mid-nineteenth-century French devotional tale, Marthe, ou La Sœur Hospitalière, by M. l’abbé J***. This fifth edition was published in Tours by Ad. Mame et Cie in 1851.

The ornate original publisher’s cartonnage binding is richly decorated in pale blue and gold, with embossed floral and scrolling ornament surrounding a hand-colored illustrated panel of a bedside scene. The matching back board carries an elaborate central floral design, while the spine is lettered in gilt. Inside are decorative chapter headings and a finely engraved frontispiece with its tissue guard.

This is a quintessential example of French decorative publishing in the mid-19th century — combining literary charm with elaborate gilt artistry and a hand-painted vignette. Such bindings were often produced as treasured gift books, making them highly sought after by collectors of cartonnage and fine French literature.

Note photos for details. Binding tight. Pages clean/bright.

Size: 3 3/4” x 6”

A beautiful and increasingly scarce example of French cartonnage romantique, with a particularly lovely blue-and-gold binding.