Above Detail from no. 13 Thomas Aquinas (image source)
Below Detail from no. 14 Xenophon (image source)
Claude Chevallon’s first publication was issued jointly with Josse Bade, in 1506, with Bade printing the entire book and Chevallon apparently sharing costs and distribution [link]. By 1511, Claude had established a shop in the Rue Saint-Jean-de-Latran (opposite the Collège de Cambrai), at the sign of Saint Christopher (A Claudio Equulo, vulgariter Chevallon dicto, ante Collegium cameracense sub diui Christofori insignio libros venditante) [link; link]. In 1519, he succeeded Pasquier Lambert as Libraire juré en l’université, and in 1520 Claude married secondly Charlotte (Guillard) Rembolt, heiress to the prominent French printing house, and took over the Rembolt workshop in Rue St Jacques, at the sign of the Golden Sun. Claude Chevallon operated thereafter from both addresses (A Claudio Chevallo in vico diui Iacobi sub sole aureo, et sub intersignio sancti Christofori, e regione collegii Cameracensis). His earliest printer’s device depicts two horses supporting a shield (lettered C. CH.), with his shop sign (Saint Christopher) in foliage above, and “Claude Chevallon” boldly lettered on a panel below.2 After his marriage, he preserved the sign of Rembolt’s office (Au soleil d’or), cutting two versions of the device, one with two horses used as supporters (“C.C.” on the shield, within Rembolt’s “cross and globe” symbol; “C. Chevallon” lettered beneath), the other with lion supporters (“C.C.” on the shield, again within the “cross and globe” symbol; without name).3
Before his marriage to Charlotte Guillard, and acquisition of the Rembolt presses, Claude had issued about forty editions, never printing the books himself, but sharing the risks and costs with partners; his principal associates were Josse Bade, Jean Barbier, Gilles de Gourmont, Poncet Le Preux, Jean Petit, and François Regnault. Ten bindings in our Provisional List of fifteen bindings cover books printed in Paris from 1510-1514. In three of these (nos. 10, 12-13) Chevallon is named either in the imprint or colophon. The rest were issued by his erstwhile partners, except for three: a book published by Berthold Rembolt (1510), and two by Denis Roce (1513-1514). Two bindings are on books printed at Lyon (in 1512, 1517), two are on Italian imprints (both printed in 1498), and the last is a manuscript book of hours. All of the Chevallon rebus-mark bindings in our Provisional List probably were made before 1520, whilst Claude operated as a merchant-bookseller. They might have been made to facilitate examination of books stocked by Chevallon (so-called “trade bindings”), or else made to order.4
The British collector and librarian Edward Gordon Duff (1863-1924) appears to have been the first, in 1893, to notice Chevallon’s rebus-mark on a binding.5 The erudite bookseller Percy Mordaunt Barnard (1868-1941) described one in 1918 (no. 9 in List below), and another (no. 12 below) was published by E.P. Goldschmidt some ten years later.6 G.D. Hobson cited Chevallon’s ownership of the roll in 1931 (without reference to books on which it was used).7 In 1937, Robert Brun published a census of five bindings (nos. 2, 3-4, 8, 11 below).8 The bookseller Fred Schreiber claimed knowledge of six bindings in 1991;9 Georges Colin professed to know “un total de onze” in 1994;10 and Rémi Jimenes affirmed in 2017 “Une douzaine de reliures à sa marque, toutes antérieures à 1519, nous ont été conservées.”11
1. G.D. Hobson, review of J.B. Oldham’s Shrewsbury School Library Bindings, in The Library, fourth series, 24 (1944), pp.195-202 (p.198).
2. Philippe Renouard, Les marques typographiques parisiennes des XVe et XVIe siècles (Paris 1926), no. 175 (citing first usage in an edition dated 1513) [link]; Centre BaTyR: Base de Typographie de la Renaissance, no. 27633 [link].
3. Renouard, op. cit., nos. 176, 180; BaTyR, op. cit., nos. 27634, 27635.
4. The production of “trade bindings” - in the specific context of the Chevallon shop - was re-examined by Jos. M.M. Hermans, “Oude banden Aantekeningen over vroege uitgeversbanden uit Parijs en Keulen” in Codex in context: studies over codicologie, kartuizergeschiedenis en laatmiddeleeuws geestesleven: aangeboden aan Prof. Dr. A. Gruijs (Nijmegen 1985), pp.175-197 (pp.178-185).
5. E. Gordon Duff, in S. T. Prideaux, An historical sketch of bookbinding with a chapter on early stamped bindings by E. Gordon Duff (London 1893), p.23 [link]; followed by Duff, A Century of the English book trade (London 1905), p.28 (“He was also a bookbinder, and used a very handsome roll on which occurs a rebus on his name, the figure of a horse with, on one side, claude, on the other, lon.” [link]).
6. E.P. Goldschmidt, Gothic & Renaissance bookbindings exemplified and illustrated from the author’s collection (London 1928), no. 73 & Pl. 103. Goldschmidt cites (p.189) the bindings nos. 2 and 14 in this List; he alludes (p.35) to further bindings, but provides no details: “There are, however, similar Chevallon bindings in existence on books printed by others and even on books printed at Lyons…”.
7. G.D. Hobson, “Parisian binding 1500-1525” in The Library, fourth series, 11 (1931), pp.393-434 (p.430).
8. R. Brun, “Guide de l’amateur de reliures anciennes” in Bulletin du Bibliophile et du Bibliothécaire, new series, 16 (1937), pp.211-216 (p.215: “Ce libraire, dont l’exercice s’étend de 1511 à 1537, a usé d’une roulette avec quadrillage rempli de fleurettes qui offre la singularité de contenir un rébus, soit l’image d’un cheval entre les mots Claude et Lon, ce qui donne Claude Chevallon”).
9. The Sallustius (no. 11 below), a book recorded by Brun, was offered by Schreiber as “the sixth known example of Claude Chevallon’s publisher’s binding” (without identifying the others).
10. G. Colin, “Les marques de libraires et d’éditeurs dorées sur des reliures” in Bookbindings & other bibliophily: Essays in honour of Anthony Hobson (Verona 1994), pp.77-115 (p.86). Colin’s focus here is on gilt-decorated bindings and he does not list the eleven Chevallon bindings.
11. Rémi Jimenes, Charlotte Guillard: Une femme imprimeur à la Renaissance (Tours: Presses universitaires François-Rabelais, 2017), p.49 (footnote 78) [pdf, link; online, link]. No details of the twelve bindings are provided.
(1) Adam de Wodeham, Adam Goddam super quattuor libros sententiarum (Paris: Jean Barbier, Jean Granjon, Poncet Le Preux, Jean Petit, 3 April 1512)
provenance
● Abbaye de Saint-Denis-en-Broqueroie, Mons (Benedictine abbey) (Faider)
● “Mons, Bibliothèque publique de la ville, T. 599” (Faider) [not traced in opac of the Bibliothèque Centrale, Université de Mons]
literature
Catalogue des livres imprimés de la Bibliothèque publique de la Ville de Mons (Brussels 1852), no. 781 [link]
Paul Faider, Bibliothèque publique de la ville de Mons: Exposition documentaire de reliures anciennes (Mons 1929), no. 79 (“Veau sur ais de chêne. Reliure exécutée par Claude Chevallon … et dont la marque, très caractéristique: ‘Claude (un cheval) Lon’, a été appliquée en plusieurs endroits de l’encadrement décoratif.”)
Colin, op. cit., p.86
(2) Bonifacius VIII, Sextus Liber. Sexti libri argumentum. Multis signatum sillabi: quis capita quater centum quadraginataocto dabis (Paris: Berthold Rembolt, 5 April 1510)
provenance
● Basel, Universitätsbibliothek, Inc 734:1 (opac, [link])
literature
E.P. Goldschmidt, Gothic & Renaissance bookbindings exemplified and illustrated from the author’s collection (London 1928), p.189
Robert Brun, “Guide de l’amateur de reliures anciennes” in Bulletin du Bibliophile et du Bibliothécaire, new series, 16 (1937), pp.211-216 (p.215: “Bibl. de Bâle”)
(3-4) Agostino Dati, Augustini Dathi, Senensis, oratoris clarissimi, orationum prima pars, cum annotamentis marginalibus, lima castigatiori excusa (Paris: [Guillaume Le Rouge for] Denis Roce, 5 November 1513), and Agostino Dati, Augustini Dathi, Senensis, oratoris ac philosophi clarissimi, Orationum secunda pars (Paris: [Guillaume Le Rouge for] Denis Roce, 24 September 1514) [in 2 volumes]
provenance
● Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Rés. X-1134 (1)-(2) (opac Rel. XVI e s., en veau fauve, avec encadrement, estampée à froid [link])
literature
Brun, op. cit., p.215 (“Recueil de pièces imprimées par G. le Rouge pour D. Roce, 1513-1514 (Res. X. 1134)”)
(5) Dionysius Halicarnassus, Antiquitates Romanae (Reggio Emilia: Franciscus de Mazalibus, 12 November 1498), bound with Ambrosius Aurelius Theodosius Macrobius, somnium scipionis ex Ciceronis libro de republica excerptum (Venice: Philippus Pincius, 29 October 1500)
provenance
● John Vaus (Vascus; ca 1484-ca 1539; studied at Paris, 1505, 1515-1516), inscription “Liber M. Ioannis Vaus” [list of his books]
● Aberdeen, University Library, Inc. 166 (opac, [link])
literature
William Smith Mitchell, Catalogue of the incunabula in Aberdeen University Library (Edinburgh 1968), p.61 no. 166 (“Binding: Paris, by Claude Chevallon, between 1511 and 1537. Brown calf on wooden boards; five bands; traces of two clasps. A frame of Chevallon's rebus roll (Goldschmidt, pl. CIII no. 73), encloses a space filled by strips, two of the rebus roll with a roll of rosettes 10mm. wide between, all flanked by a roll of flies 9 mm. wide. Chevallon's distinctive roll is 19 mm. wide and is of a continuous pattern of quatrefoils in lozenges with the rebus repeated every 100 mm. or so: Claude - a saddled horse (cheval) - Lon.”)
James Roy Pickard, History of King’s College Library, Aberdeen, until 1860: Part I, Pre-Reformation (Aberdeen 1979), p.103 no. 180 (“The Parisian binding was executed by Claude Chevallon between 1511 and 1537. There is brown calf on wooden boards. A frame of Chevallon's rebus roll encloses a space filled by strips, two of the rebus roll with a roll of rosettes 10 mm. wide between, all flanked by a roll of flies 9 mm. wide. Chevallon's distinctive roll is 19 mm. wide and is of a continuous pattern of quatrefoils in lozenges with the rebus repeated about every 100 mm.”)
(6) Aulus Gellius, A. Gellii viri disertissimi Noctium Atticarum libri XX. summa accuratione Joannis Connelli Camoten. ad recognitionem Beroaldinam repositi (Paris: Josse Bade, Jehan Petit, 13 November 1511)
provenance
● Ramey family (16C)
● New York, Morgan Library & Museum, 125334 (opac, [link])
literature
Nicholas Pickwoad, “The interpretation of bookbinding structure: An examination of sixteenth-century bindings in the Ramey Collection in the Pierpont Morgan Library” in The Library, sixth series, 17 (1995), pp.209-249 (p.246); reprinted in Eloquent witnesses: Bookbindings and their history: a volume of essays dedicated to the memory of Dr. Phiroze Randeria (London & New Castle, DE 2004), pp.127-170 (pp.160-161: “a splendid example from the shop of Claude Chevallon with the roll containing his rebus”); p.170, endnote 87)
(7) John Major, Quartus sententiarum Johannis Majoris ab eodem recognitus denuoque impressus (Paris: Jean Granjon, Poncet Le Preux, Philippe Pigouchet, 1512)
provenance
● Abbaye de Saint-Denis-en-Broqueroie, Mons (Benedictine abbey) (Faider)
● “Mons, Bibliothèque publique de la ville, T. 606” (Faider) [not traced in opac of the Bibliothèque Centrale, Université de Mons]
literature
Catalogue des livres imprimés de la Bibliothèque publique de la Ville de Mons (Brussels 1852), no. 780 [link]
Faider, op. cit., p.34 (“Autre exemplaire du même type [as no. 1 above] … mêmes dimensions; même provenance”)
(8) Publius Ovidius Naso, P. Ovidii Nasonis Metamorphoseos libri moralisati cum pulcherrimis fabularum principalium figuris … et Lactancii Firmiani Argumentis (Lyon: Jacques Sacon, 1512)
provenance
● Grenoble, Bibliothèque d’étude et du patrimoine, F. 4384 Rés. (opac, [link])
literature
Petite Revue des Bibliophiles Dauphinois (December 1928), p.230 ([Procès-verbaux des séances: Séance du 27 novembre 1928] “M. Royer présente ... Un autre ouvrage de la Bibliothèque de Grenoble: les Métamorphoses d’Ovide en latin, édité à Lyon par Jacques Huguetan en 1511 et … recouvert d’une reliure de bois garnie de cuir estampé à froid. Parmi les fers de cette reliure, on remarque un cheval harnaché précédé et suivi d’une banderole sur laquelle on peut lire les deux mots: CLAUDE…LONG. Il s’agit évidemment de la marque parlante du libraire parisien connu Claude Chevallon… Il est probable que Chevallon avait en dépôt chez lui des ouvrages édités par son collègue de Lyon et qu’il les faisait relier avec un fer à son nom pour sa clientèle.”)
Brun, op. cit., p.215 (“Ovide, Lyon, 1511 (Bibl. de Grenoble, Rés. F. 4384)”)
(9) Paulus Soncinas, Quaestiones in libros metaphysicae Aristotelis (Venice: Simon Bevilaqua, 28 September 1498)
provenance
● P.M. Barnard, Tunbridge Wells; their Catalogue 115: Catalogue of rare and interesting books and autographs (Tunbridge Wells [1918]), item 13 (“on each cover an oblong centre panel is formed by four perpendicular rows of bees, on each side of which is a roll of rosettes within diagonal compartments, bearing the binder’s device claude (figure of a horse for Cheval) lon. The same roll is used to surround the whole panel”) [see Book-Auction Records 15 (1918), p.xxxiii, where this catalogue is reviewed: “including a book bound for Louis XII, by a hitherto-unknown binder, (Claude Chevallon) … the price is £45”; link]
● Sotheby Wilkinson & Hodge, Catalogue of valuable books and a few illuminated and other manuscripts, London, 30 January-1 February 1922, lot 864 (“original binding, for Louis XII, by Claude Chevallon, leather stamped with panels of bees, borders with roses and the rebus of the binder (‘Claude’ in a scroll, a horse (cheval) and ‘lon’ in a scroll), rebacked and repaired, enclosed in a case” [link]) [offered among Other Properties]
● Peters - bought in sale (£14 10s)
● San Marino, Huntington Library, 93514 (opac Contemporary French calf, in brown morocco box; bound for Louis XII by Claude Chevallon [link])
(10) Petrus de Palude, Exactissimi et quammaxime probati ac clarissimi doctoris Petri de Palude predicatorii ordinis. Hierosolimitani quondam patriarche dignissimi quartus sententiarum liber a f. Vincentio de Haerlem germano ejusdem ordinis diligentissime recognitus & ea quae Venetiane impressioni deerant ex scriptis codicibus solerter transsumpta, plenius hic sunt inserta (Paris: [printed by Jean Bienayse and Jacques Ferrebouc for] Jean Petit, François Regnault, Claude Chevallon, 7 October 1514)