MOLIÈRE. OEuvres de Molière, avec des remarques grammaticale - Lot 165

MOLIÈRE. OEuvres de Molière, avec des remarques grammaticales; des avertissements et des observations sur chaque pièce, by M. Bret. Paris, La Compagnie des Libraires Associés, 1773. 6 volumes in-8, brown marbled basane, guilloche ribbed spines, gilded fillets and fleurons on entrenerfs, title and tomaison on red and green leather parts, cold guilloche edges, red edges. Contemporary binding. VIII and 520 pp; 576 pp; 551 pp; 560 pp; 774 pp and 1 f. of approval; 704 pp, 1 portrait-frontispiece engraved by Cathelin after Mignaud in vol. 1, 33 copper-engraved hors-texte plates after Moreau le Jeune, 6 etched title vignettes by Moreau le Jeune, headbands and tailpieces. Title printed in black and red. Overall rubbed, some spotting and wormholes on boards. Interior very fresh, clean and free of foxing. First printing of Moreau le Jeune's illustration for this sought-after edition, drawn up and annotated by Antoine Bret. The illustration includes the famous portrait of Molière engraved by Cathelin after Mignaud on the frontispiece of the first volume, 6 historiated title vignettes, etched by Moreau Le Jeune and dated 1773, as well as 33 figures by Moreau Le Jeune, finely engraved by Baquoy, de Launay, Duclos and others. "La suite des figures de Moreau est une des plus estimées" [Cohen, 717]. Handwritten bookplate on title. Complete series in 6 volumes. Beautiful period set for this famous edition, the first printing of one of Moreau le Jeune's masterpieces.