Quae extant opera.

Paris: sons of Michel Etienne David,, 1744. A handsomely illustrated 18th-century Parisian edition of Sallust's complete works, in a well-preserved French period binding. The tooling on the spine, featuring a simple gilt flower surrounded by leaves and stars in the compartments, was popular and resembles the style of the celebrated royal bookbinder Louis Doceur, active in Paris at the time. The work is part of a series of finely printed Latin classics produced by a consortium of French printers - including the workshop of David and Coustellier - who sought to imitate the style of the Dutch family of printers Elzevir (active 1587-1681), as Elzevir's small-format editions were becoming uncommon. This volume contains three plates designed by the prominent French engraver and art critic Charles-Nicolas Cochin II (1715-1790). Employed by Louis XV in 1737 to create commemorative prints for major events at court, Cochin was later made curator of the royal drawings collection, and worked as King's administrator of the arts between 1755 and 1770. Duodecimo (148 x 90 mm). Contemporary red morocco, smooth spine, compartments framed and decorated in gilt with floral tools, brown morocco label, gilt triple-fillet frame on covers, small flower tools at corners, board edges ruled in gilt, elaborate gilt roll on turn-ins, marbled endpapers, edges gilt. Engraved frontispiece and 2 similar plates, engraved vignette on title, engraved and woodcut head- and tailpieces, woodcut floriated initials. Manuscript shelf number on verso of front free endpaper. Spine slightly faded, couple of tiny wormholes at tail, occasional mark to contents, otherwise internally clean and fresh. A very good copy. Cohen, 937; Michel, 43.