Livre de Prières Tissé

Type: Manuscript

Date: 1886

Setting: France, Lyon

Produced By/For: R. P. J. Hervier, designer; J. A. Henry, fabricator, for A. Roux

Contents: Livre de prières tissé d'après les enluminiures des manuscrits du XIVe au XVIe siècle

Shelf Mark: Ms.Fr.2

Location: Call no. BV246 L58 1886

Description from Vendor

Woven in Lyon, perhaps passing through the Parisian agent J. Kauffmann, this is one of between 50 or 60 books printed with silver and black thread on silk looms that were programmed using the punched-card system developed by Joseph-Marie Jacquard (1752-1834).

It was displayed in 1889 in the Lyon Pavillion at the Universal Exposition, featured by the firm J. A. Henry, whose textiles were highly reputed. The firm won a “Grand Prix” at the 1889 Exposition.

R. P. J. Hervier, designer; J. A. Henry, fabricator, for A. Roux, 1886-1887

This unorthodox Book of Prayers is entirely machine-woven of gray and black silk. Faced with coming up with a submission for the World's Fair of 1889, artisans in the textile capital of Lyons programed Jacquard looms with hundreds of punch-cards. So difficult was the project that this is the only woven book ever produced. The woven book nevertheless won a Grand Prize. It is now renowned as a proto-type for the computer.

In Latin and French.

Fine binding of dark brown levant morocco by Kaufmann Petit, art nouveau Parisian binders, brown silk doublures, in pristine condition, with a marbled slipcase and chemise, brown morocco spine, elaborately gilt.

Full description available through Lesenluminures.com.

Provenance: Purchased from Les Enluminures, Ltd. on the MSSF Fund, 2018.

Images

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