John Pierpont Morgan, 1903

FROEHNER, Wilhelm, editor. Collection Julien Gréau. Verrerie antique emaillerie et poterie appartenant a M. John Pierpont Morgan. Paris: [privately printed,] 1903.

Limited edition, one of only 90 sets. An incredible catalogue of glass; the majority of the hundreds of plates depict multiple objects each. "Julien Gréau (1810-1895) was an omnivorous French collector with a predilection for antiquities. After he formed a collection, he would sell it in order to begin another. He amassed coins, bronzes, and terracottas. His greatest effort, however, was in the field of glass—he gathered about five thousand glass objects, about one thousand of which were intact" (MMA website). This collection was purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan after Gréau's death and Morgan commissioned the present catalogue. In 1917, the collection was gifted to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York where it forms the major basis of its glass collection.

Six volumes, one text volume and five plate volumes, quarto (315 x 225mm) and folio (555 x 360mm). Half-titles. Titles printed in red and black. Approximately 363 hand-colored lithographed plates, finished with gum arabic, loose as issued (very occasional mild toning or other minor marks). Plate volumes housed in five solander cases, modern blue quarter morocco, spines gilt; text volume bound in full blue morocco to match. Provenance: Museum of French Art, New York, plate volumes only (stamps to title leaves and to versos of plates, the limitation number of the text volume is not uniform). Sold as a collection of plates.