RARE MID-LATE 17TH CENTURY ANTIQUE FRENCH LARGE FOLIO, HAND SET WOODBLOCK PRINTED PAGE, W/HAND PAINTED PLATE OF SAILING SHIPS IN A HARBOR FROM THE VOLUME 'VNIUERFELLE, LIVRE II' (WINTERFELL, BOOK II) W/PENCIL INSCRIPTION 'SYRACUSE,' FRAMED
IN PERIOD, MID-20TH C FRAME, UNDER GLASS, W/ANTIQUE GILT MATTING & PICTURE FRAMER'S LABEL AFFIXED TO BACK DUST COVER
(Circa 1650-1695)
Rare & antiquarian illustrated early French language woodblock printed large folio volumes & hand colored woodblock plates
DIMENSIONS:
16 ½" Height x 12" Width (Frame)
12 ¾" Height x 8 ¼" Width (Image)
DESCRIPTION:
Offered for your careful review and consideration is this really fantastic, gorgeous, single printed page taken from the mid-late 17th century French large folio woodblock printed volume 'Vniuerfell, Livre II' (Winterfell, Volume 2) created between 1650-1695 in France. It features hand laid, pressed woodblock set French language typography, with a hand colored/hand painted woodblock illustration of a walled, castle-like, human enclave 'Winterfell,' with fortified walls, towers and large and small sailing ships seen afloat in the harbor in front of the ancient fortified, walled city. The contemporary film production 'Game of Thrones' and its references to Winterfell aside, this is not to be confused with any mythologized, romanticized Hollywood version of the real deal. This in fact is the real deal and a reference to the actual walled populated center, with fortifications designed to protect it from successful attack from either land or sea. Two corners of the paper page have relaxed corner folds. The hand colored illustration is wonderful and nearly unblemished. There's little if no foxing or tanning found on the page's surface. The two vertical columns of the page are numbered 851 and 852. The colored woodblock illustration of Winterfell with ships seen afloat in the harbor nestling the fortified city, is in extraordinary, nearly unblemished condition. Aside from the two now relaxed and nearly flattened minor corner folds found on the bottom right and top left of the single page from the original volume, this single page taken long ago from that book (volume #2) is in wonderful, well-preserved original antique condition. It hasn't been touched, disturbed or adulterated in any way. The page continues to rest in the same mid-20th century frame presentation it was originally found in the estate from where the piece was retrieved. It is under non-glare glass and has antique gold gilt enamel painted mat board. The frame is a now somewhat distressed gold gilt wooden frame with a dark navy blue interior band. The brown paper dust cover hasn't been broken and the page has not been removed from its frame. A Syracuse, NY picture framer's affixed paper label is still attached to the old brown paper rear dust cover, that has only been disturbed and broken along the upper edge. The piece remains unopened and still as it was found. An exceptionally early, extraordinary piece of 17th century, rare, antiquarian French language illustrated literature. Absolutely gorgeous. Estate fresh and in 'as-found' condition. Extraordinary. Very fine.
CONDITION:
Good to Very Good overall antique condition. There are two relaxed corner folds that occur on the page in the lower right corner and in the upper left corner. They occurred and were flattened back into a relaxed position before the page was framed either in the 1950's or very early 1960's.