[COLLECTION OF 18TH-CENTURY FRENCH PLAYS]. - Lot 124

[COLLECTION OF 18TH-CENTURY FRENCH PLAYS]. Paris, 1719–1746. 28 plays bound in 4 in-8 volumes (19 x 12 cm). Polished fawn calfskin of the period, decorated ribbed spine, title and volume number labels in red morocco, panels decorated with small dotted ironwork and gilt roulette, gilded fillet with cut-outs, gilded roulette on the fore-edges of vols. I and II, red edges (slight rubbing, upper jaw of vol. 1 slightly split, upper caps rubbed or partially worn away, stains on the upper cover of vol. 1, dulled corners). Fine copies, free of defects, in a very attractive contemporary binding. Among the comedies: CAHUSAC (WATELEZ according to a handwritten note) *Zeneide*, comedy, Paris, published by Prault, 1744, with a lovely frontispiece engraved after Pierre and a large engraved vignette with figures on the title page; 42 pp *CAHUSAC l’Algérien, ou les muses comédiennes*, comedy-ballet, Paris, published by Prault, 1744, 128 pp -*Le Fat Puni*, comedy with divertissement Published by Prault fils, 1738; frontispiece engraved by Fessard after Tremolières and a beautiful printer’s mark with an engraved motto on the title page, 60 pp -*Le Sonnambule*, same publisher - *L’École du Monde* (The School of the World), a dialogue in verse, 1740 - *Retour Ombre de Molière* (The Return of Molière’s Shadow), a comedy, by Chaubert, 1740 - GRESSET. *Sidney*, a comedy, The Hague, 1745 (4)-46 pp -*Julie, or The Happy Trial*, comedy, Paris, Chez Prault, 1746. With permission. 24 pp. and appendix (apparently missing from the *Dictionnaire des Théâtres*) - FUZELIER. *Momus the Fable Writer, or The Wedding of Vulcan*. Paris, P. Simon, 1719. Frontispiece engraved by Bonnart -DE BOISSY. *Le François à Londres*. Paris, Barbou, 1727. -DOVE. *Les Amants déguisés* in three acts. Paris, Delatour, 1728. - PIRON. *The Ungrateful Sons*. Paris, Mergé, 1729. - PESSELIER. *Aesop on Parnassus*... Paris, Prault, 1739. -The Oracle. Paris, Prault, 1740. Large engraved vignette with figures by Cochin, 25 pp., followed by a divertissement -The School of the World... Preceded by a prologue by Molière’s Shadow. Paris, published by Chaubert, 1740. -The Freemasons, Hyperdrama. London, J... T..., 1740. - Joconde, a one-act comedy in prose. Paris, Prault fils, 1741. - *Les Veuves turcs*, comedies... Translated from Arabic. Paris, Prault, 1742. Manuscript titles and tables of contents for the plays on the front endpapers of each volume. Provenance: The antique library of Marc-Pierre de VOYER DE PAULMY, Count of ARGENSON, with his copper-engraved bookplate on the endpapers, covered with marbled paper but partially exposed in Volume 3.