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Extremely rare and curious work on a major collection of 18th-century dance card holders

FRANCK, Bernard.
Collection de 124 carnets de bal du XVIII siècle formée par M. Bernard Franck à Paris. De l'année 1875 au 23 avril 1902.

With one full-page (275 x 230 mm) and 248 mounted carbon print photographs (ca. 85-90 x 45-55 mm: = actual size) on 63 leaves of thick hinged card stock, and 4 preliminary pp. with colophon and title printed in red and black.

Paris, Gerschel, Photographe, 1902. Large 4to (325 x 290 mm). Dark green half morocco, spine with 5 raised bands with gilt lettering, title in gilt on front cover, all edges gilt. With one full-page (275 x 230 mm) and 248 mounted carbon print photographs (ca. 85-90 x 45-55 mm: = actual size) on 63 leaves of thick hinged card stock, and 4 preliminary pp. with colophon and title printed in red and black.

Extremely rare catalogue, produced in only 20 copies (p. (2): "Il a été tiré de cet Album vingt exemplaires par le procédé au carbon inaltérable"). We have found only four other copies in: RCON, Bibliotheque d'Art et d'Archeologie, The Bibliotheque d'Art & d'Archeologie, the Watson library in the Metropolitan Museyum, and the Morgan Library.
The photographs in this book comprise 1 full page plate of part of the collection, and 248 carbon prints, arranged four per page, each showing the front and back of two dancing-card holders, with juxtaposed letterpress descriptive texts.

'Dance cards' ('carnet de bal' in French) were used by ladies to keep track of the gentleman to whom they had promised dances in the course of the evening. They were housed in ornate jewelled holders. The most luxurious ones were made of precious metals, bone, or ivory and decorated with painted enamels and jewels. They were issued for royal and aristocratic balls. The ladies participated in the ball with their personal 'Dance cards' contained into these holders, often with miniature petit point canvas inserts. They were small enough to be readily portable and were an indispensable complement to ball's accessorizing. The interior of the 'dance card' usually contained a list of the evening's dances, with spaces provided for the names of the gentlemen to whom the lady had promised them. Covers were especially colourful and elaborate and afterwards served as mementos of the occasion. Many of the holders, in the style of Louis XVI, have 'Souvenir' lettered on the front, and 'D'Amitié' on the back side.

Bernard Franck (1848-1924) was an industrialist, specializing in the manufacturing of military equipment. His success in business enabled him to become an inveterate collector. He amassed his vast collections from 1875 to 1920, consisting of 18th-century and early nineteenth-century objects - miniature portraits, medals, decorations, armory, uniforms, paintings and a variety of bibelots, including this collection of 'Dance card holders, which Franck has sold to J.P. Morgan around 1910.

Good copy.- (Raised bands sl. rubbed).

Related Subjects: French Jewellery Photography

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