Octavo. Finely bound by Leon Gruel in brown morocco, signed by Gruel to the base of the spine in gilt. All edges gilt. Brown silk endpapers, initials T.D. in gilt to front endpaper. Intricate gilt turn-in borders. Red silk ribbon.
 
Full-page chromolithographs, initials and decorations inspired by medieval illuminations.
 
A near fine copy. Very slight rubbing to edges and corners, light spotting throughout, minor mark to recto of back endpaper.
 
An exceptionally attractive Engelmann book of hours, finely bound by Leon Gruel.
The German printer Godefroy Engelmann was awarded the "Société d'Encouragement" prize in 1838 for bringing chromolithography to France. He died in 1839, but three years later his son, also Godefroy, set up the firm of Engelmann and Graf.
 
They became the leading French company producing facsimiles of medieval illuminated manuscripts. 
They commissioned the bookbinding firm of Léon Gruel to provide a range of bindings for this book, in different styles and at varying price levels.