French Montyon - The Life of a Good Man, Marbled, Binding, Gilt Fleur-De-Lis Spine, Published 1867

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A petite marvel from 19th-century Paris, this 1867 leather-bound edition of Montyon, ou La Vie d’un Homme de Bien feels … Read more A petite marvel from 19th-century Paris, this 1867 leather-bound edition of Montyon, ou La Vie d’un Homme de Bien feels like something discovered in the drawer of an antique secrétaire, a book meant to be held, admired, and wondered over.

Highly collectible, the title refers to the Montyon Prizes, which are awards given by the Académie Française.
Bound in warm, mottled marbled boards with a dark chocolate leather spine, this little 6 x 4 treasure carries all the details collectors adore:
gilt fleur-de-lis compartments, raised bands, a deep wine-colored title label, and even its original silk ribbon marker still tucked between the pages like a whisper from another life.

Inside, the prose is as poetic as the object itself. Written under the patronage of the Empress, it tells the story of Baron de Montyon, a man celebrated not for conquest, but for goodness — philanthropy, virtue, and the quiet acts of humanity that outlast empires. It is a portrait of moral beauty from an era that revered character as an art.

Time has kissed the pages with soft foxing, giving the whole piece that irresistible “cabinet de curiosités” charm — the kind you style next to a candle, a quill, a stack of love letters, or atop an antique Paris map.

This book is not merely read; it is displayed, felt, and treasured.

A perfect addition to a library wall, a writing desk vignette, or any space craving a touch of 19th-century Parisian soul. See less