The following is the second in a four-part series on books from the library of Sarah Orne Jewett (1849-1909) and her family.
Published by the Paris firm of Edwin Tross in 1871, this volume of poetry by Louise Labé belongs to a limited edition of 500 copies, and is distinguished by the remarkable typeface used. As the publisher’s introduction explains, the text is set in a cursive typeface called Civilité, cast from the original matrices owned by the Elzeviers in the 16th century and passed down through the generations. Tross goes on to explain that he had long wished to use this typeface, and accordingly chose an author contemporary with its design. This copy was owned by Sarah Orne Jewett, and contains a tipped-in letter to Jewett from Harvard Professor of Modern Languages Ferdinand Bôcher (1832-1902), relating how he bought the book and had it specially bound for her.
Labé, Louise, 1526?-1566. Oeuvres de Lovize Labé. SOJ 1764.48.
Thanks to Bibliographic Assistant Noah Sheola for contributing this post.