Royal Portraits from French History

Bush, Mrs. Forbes (fl. mid-19th century)

Memoirs of the Queens of France. Dedicated, by express permission, to the Queen of the French and Containing a Memoir of Her Majesty. [Two Volumes complete]

Philadelphia: Cary and Hart, 1847. Hardcovers.
This complete two-volume set offers a vivid, mid-century perspective on the women who shaped the French throne. 

Combining historical biography with the lush, blind-stamped aesthetics of 1840s American bookmaking, it serves as a primary document of how European royal history was packaged for the refined American library. With its intact engraved frontispieces and institutional provenance, it is a superior specimen for collectors of biography or 19th-century Americana. This set is distinguished not only by its attractive publisher’s cloth but by its significant association with the Clarkson family, whose legacy remains central to the history of higher education in New York.

KEY FEATURES
+++ Visuals: Two engraved frontispiece portraits protected by original tissue guards illustrating the romanticized historical style of the period.
+++ Binding: A classic example of Carey and Hart’s high-production standards, featuring elaborate blind-stamping and bright gilt emblems. Original red cloth; front covers feature a stamped gilt royal emblem; spines with gilt titles; boards heavily decorated with blind-stamped panels.
+++ Imprint: Philadelphia: Carey and Hart, 1847. Printed from the Second London Edition.
+++ Specs: Two volumes, octavo; 7.75 inches tall; Vol. I: 400 pages; Vol. II: 394 pages.
+++ Provenance: Armorial bookplates of Thomas Streatfield Clarkson; associated with the Clarkson family of Potsdam and New York City, linking the set to the family behind the founding of Clarkson University.

CONDITION
+++ THE BOOK: The bindings are tight and square, holding the weight of the two-volume set firmly. The internal pages are clean and free of markings, showing only light, even age-toning consistent with 1840s paper stock. The red cloth remains vibrant, and the gilt is present and legible on both the spines and the front board emblems. There is moderate shelf handling wear consistent with age, including light rubbing to the extremities. One over-opened signature is noted in Volume II, though it remains secure.
+++ DUST JACKET: Not issued.

SCHOLARLY FEATURES
+++ Gendered History: Provides a continuous narrative of French queenship, providing a rare mid-century look at the then-reigning Queen of the French, Marie Amélie. Represents an early example of women’s history writing, focusing on the political and social agency of queens in an era of patriarchal monarchy. 
+++ Transatlantic Publishing: Illustrates the 19th-century practice of American publishers quickly adapting successful British historical works for domestic consumption.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE —
Mrs. Forbes Bush was part of a movement of 19th-century women writers who carved out a professional niche by chronicling the lives of European royalty for a growing middle-class readership. Her 'Memoirs' were noted for their accessibility and their focus on the personal character of the queens, often using their lives as a lens through which to view broader French political shifts.

The Clarkson family, whose bookplates adorn these volumes, were significant figures in the development of Northern New York. Thomas Streatfield Clarkson’s name is most famously associated with the university founded in his memory in 1896. Finding their personal library items in such a well-preserved state provides a tangible link to the cultural interests of an American dynasty during the antebellum period.

SUBJECTS: Queens of France, French Monarchy, Royal Women, 19th-Century Historical Writing, Clarkson Family Provenance, Philadelphia Imprint, Women in History, Court Life, Biography, History, European History, Association Copy.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: Hodgins, 239.

Item #21776

Price: $85.00