An Essay in the History of Gold-Tooled
Bindings by Herbert P. Horne
London 1894
1609, and received the freedom of the Guild of St. Jean in the quality of a stationer, on the 9th
July, 1637. Upon the death of his father, he succeeded to the Office of Binder in Ordinary to
Louis XIV., as appears from the title of a book, which he published in 1644: L'Ojfice de fa
Semaz'ne Saz'ncte. A Pans, Chez Anthoz'ne Ruette, relz'eur ord. du Roy, rue sainet
Jean de Latran deuatzt fa fontaz'ne .s: Benoz'st. He was confirmed in the office, by a royal breve
dated 3rd July, 1650, receiving at the same time, the grant of a lodging for life in the College
Royal: and as Binder in Ordinary to the King, he was paid a wage of a hundred livres a year. He
published, also, some other books, either without date, or with that of the year 1661. The
binding executed by him, for Anne of Austria, of a copy of his own edition of L'Office de fa
Semaz'ne Saz'ncte, is reproduced by M. Gruel in his Manuel [s.n.]. It bears the arms of the
Queen regent, surrounded by her widow's cords, and her cypher, composed of the letters A and
V, interlaced, and royally crowned. Another example of his work is preserved in the British
Museum, on a book entitled: La Lyre du Jeune Apollon, ou fa Muse naz'ssante du petz't de
Beauchasteau, Paris, 1657 [84. f. 14.]. This is the copy presented to Louis XIV., to whom the
book is dedicated, and whose arms may still be traced below the cypher of George III., which
has been stamped over them. The book is covered in green morocco, with a ' doublure' of red
morocco: and the tools used on the outside of the book are engraved chiefly 'au pointille'; while
those on the inside are in solid line.
These books show, that their gilder, while actually working according to the traditions, which
preceded those of the master of the couped head, was nevertheless greatly influenced by the
work of that inimitable artist; to whom, he himself is vastly inferior, both in regard to the design,
arid to the execution of his bindings. The chief interest of his work lies, perhaps, in the fact,
which it illustrates, that the finest works of art, of anyone period, are not invariably to be found
among the royal bindings of that time. La Caille, I may add, speaks of Jean Cusson, who was
made free of the Guild, in 1630, as the most accomplished binder of this age.
Antoine Ruette appears to have been succeeded, as Binder to the king, by Claude Ie Mire,
whose name appears neither in the registers of the Guild of St. Jean, nor in the works of La
Caille or Lottin. He is first mentioned in the check-roll of the officers of the Royal Household, for
the year 1664 j and it would seem, that he held this office, conjointly with Gilles Dubois, until his
death in 1698, when he was, in turn, succeeded by Luc Antoine Boyet In 1684, this celebrated
binder was living in the Rue des Sept Voies: