A notebook in an embossed mother of pearl binding. [France, ca. 1840].
Binding size 95 x 62 mm., notebook of 10 narrower wove paper leaves (93 x 45 mm, 3 leaves with jottings in a childlike hand. Binding of dark blue velvet-backed mother-of-pearl, upper cover carved with a relief border of volutes, flowers and, at foot, two male profiles on a diapered ground, at center an oval cartouche with a pastoral scene of a woman and a man in 18th-century dress; liners and notebook covers of pale green moiré silk, three silk sheaths attached to inner borders of covers, for a stylus or pencil (absent, sleeves worn and torn), the notebook edges gilt.***
An irresistibly pretty binding on a notebook used by a child, who inscribed syllables and words (including Dodo and Canada) on 2 page openings. Item #4279
No longer available