Handcoloured Parisian Trades.
T.L.B. [BUSBY, Thomas Lord] fl. 1804-1821. Costume of the Lower Orders in Paris. [place not identified, presumably London] [publisher not identified, possibly Baldwin]. 1820

12mo., (90 x 145mm); neatly bound in nineteenth-century full red calf with triple-line gilt panel to sides, spine with 4 raised bands, elaborately gilt in compartments with gilt lettering direct, an early, skilful and unobtrusive, reback relaying the entire early nineteenth-century spine, gilt edges to boards, gilt dentelles, all edges gilt; pp. [58], bound with binder’s blanks to front and rear; complete with finely handcoloured title-page (incorporating etched initials T.L.B), frontispiece, and 27 further large etched plates with skilful and original handcolouring, including one folding (Marchand des Chiens, Dog Dealer), with captions throughout in French and English etched in the plate; a very good, sound, and attractive copy with some external soiling and marking and a couple of 4mm surface abrasions, some blotching to top edge of lower cover, edges rubbed with small wear to forecorners, internally very good, sound and remarkably pretty, with occasional minor marking and browning; a delightful copy; very elusive.

First edition. A social document, and a startling one, documenting the trades and costume of some of the lowest social orders in Paris at the turn of the nineteenth century, together with their attributes. The etched plates depict, in order: Lottery Ticket vendor; Cocoa Seller; Vendor of Songs; Dog Dealer; Stove Merchant; Scissors Grinder; Chimney Sweeper; Vendor of Paper for Rooms; Charcoal Merchant; Butter Merchant; Kennel Raker; Rag Gatherer; Beer Merchant; Dealer in Laths; Basket Dealer; Vendor of Pancakes and Fritters; Ink Merchant; Vendor of Strawberries and Raspberries; Geese Merchant; Porter; Dealer in Whips; Mackerel Seller; Dealer in Packthread; Milk Woman; Water Carrier; Dealer in Grapes; Bread, Wine Seller, and Seller of Golden Pippins. Only 2 copies located on Jisc Library Hub (National Trust Libraries & Senate House, Univ. of London). Very scarce in commerce. Only one copy located on the commercial market at the time of cataloguing.