Automata: The Golden Age by Philip Bailly, Deluxe Signed Edition, 2 of 25

Binding Details:  Beautiful publisher’s full leather binding in red morocco leather with a spine treatment of raised bands with gold gilt titling and decorations. The front cover is blind tooled and elaborately decorated in gold gilt with a rose vine motif with titling in gold gilt that surround an inlay of an original hand-painted miniature by Madame Andree Kiefer. The back cover is also blind tooled and features a center gold stamped illustration. There are marbled endpapers and all page ends are gold gilted. The book is housed in the original matching morocco leather edged open ended slipcase.

Book Details:  This is deluxe signed limited edition of “Automata: The Golden Age 1848 – 1914” published by Sotheby’s Publications, London in 1987 with a limitation of 25 copies this being number 2. Christian Bailey’s Automata is an important study of the history of automation devices with detailed chapters on the Paris automata industry and the master automation artists of the time (Theroude, Bontems, Vichy, Roullet & Descamps, Phalibois, Lambert and Renou) and includes over 120 pages containing facsimile reproductions of their catalogues. There is also a chapter on the technical aspects of automata including mechanisms, musical movements, and restoration.

Measuring approximately 12” x 10” with 360 pages, the book is beautifully illustrated with 150 color and numerous black-and-white photographs of automata devices that accompany Bailly’s detailed survey of automata during its golden age. Philip and Sharon Bailly signed and inscribed the book on the limitation page that indicated that is number 2 of the 25 copies produced. Included with the book is an original pen, ink, and watercolor drawing by Madame Andree Kiefer as called for on the limitation page.

Condition Report:  The binding is in FINE condition with very superficial wear. Internally, the book is very clean no signs of previous ownership. The slipcase is in FINE- condition with some rubs to the top edge of the leather closure.

Photographs of the binding, a close-up of the Madame Andree Kiefer cover inlay and original drawing, the signature/limitation page, and the book in the slipcase appear in the photo section of the listing.