MICHAUD (Joseph-François) - DORÉ (Gustave). Histoire des croisades. Paris: Furne, Jouvet et Cie, 1877. - 2 volumes in-folio, 423 x 311: (2 ff.), 424 pp. 50 plates; (2 ff.), 376 pp. 50 plates. Rust calf, boards and spine adorned with a large modeled, chased and painted composition, publisher's cardboard percaline boards glued to the linings, gilt head, untrimmed, burgundy cloth spine folder, slipcase (20th-century binding, decoration by Louis Dézé). Famous and beautiful first edition illustrated with 100 out-of-text compositions by Gustave DORÉ (1832-1883), wood-engraved by Bellenger, Doms, Gusman, Jonnard, Pannemaker, Pisan and Quesnel. There are also two medallion portraits, of Michaud on the first title and of Gustave Doré on the second. This is the penultimate major publication illustrated by Gustave Doré, who on this occasion returned to his favorite themes: war, the Middle Ages, religion, the horrible and the exotic, which he treated in a more epic style than before. A precious copy, whose bindings are decorated on the boards and spines with modeled and painted decoration by the painter, bookbinder and bibliographer Louis Dézé (1857-1930). A specialist in repoussé leather bindings, he worked mainly with bookbinder Auguste Bernasconi (1879-1967). According to Hervé: "His works... are perhaps less technically perfect than those of the masters of the time... but they are otherwise surprising, and they go infinitely further in our sensibility... True genius, superabundant genius, he invented or perfected a very particular, very learned technique.... An exception among his colleagues, he surely read books before dressing them, and with what sumptuousness!" (Hervé, Reliures de la donation Henri Pollès: Musée du livre et des lettres. What is an original binding? Hommage à Louis Dézé, pp. 27-29). Each binding composition is different, inspired by an illustration by Gustave Doré. The binder has taken care to preserve the original boards, glued to the linings. Spine slightly faded, some rubbing. Scattered foxing.