Carousel By His Highness The Dauphin, Produced In Versailles On May 1686, First Edition

The Dauphin’s Carousel. Made in Versailles on [28] May.
Compiled by / Music by Jean-Baptiste Lully.
In Paris, published by LA VEUVE BLAGEART, Court-neuve du Palais, at the Dauphin.
M. DC. LXXXVI (1686). WITH ROYAL PRIVILEGE.
Small 4° (approx. 18.5 x 26 cm). 72 + 63 pages
Description and Historical Significance A precious and rare first edition of this “festive book,” printed to serve as the official program for the sumptuous equestrian and musical celebrations held by Louis XIV at Versailles in May 1686, in honor of his son, the Grand Dauphin.
This ephemeral booklet was specifically printed to be sold at Versailles on the very day of the Carrousel. A true testament to the splendor of the Sun King’s court, the event notably featured the famous fanfares and carousel tunes composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully. The title page bears the typographic mark of a lovely wood-engraved fleur-de-lis, along with a reference to the widow of the printer and bookseller Blageart.

Exceptional Provenance The copy is embellished on its back cover with a magnificent engraved ex-libris by Henri Grosseuvre(1883–1954), a renowned scholar and one of the greatest collectors of ancient documents and books dedicated exclusively to the history of the city and the Palace of Versailles.

• Binding: Marbled fawn half-basane from a later period (19th century), spine with faux raised bands, covers of hand-marbled paper in swirling blue/green tones, edges rubbed.
• Interior: A very complete copy with wide margins. The paper remains fresh, with slight foxing and normal creases typical of a booklet from this period.