LA FONTAINE CONTES 2 VOLUME JEAN DE BONNOT PARIS, GILT DECORATED FRENCH LIBRARY EDITION, ESTATE OF

A striking two-volume French literary set of Contes et Nouvelles en Vers by Jean de La Fontaine, published in Paris by Jean de Bonnot (1982) and presented in richly decorated gilt bindings, sourced from the estate of Pierre Chambrin, former White House Executive Chef. These volumes exemplify the celebrated Jean de Bonnot tradition—editions designed not only to be read, but to be displayed—featuring deeply embossed covers, elaborate gilt tooling, and a refined “Old World” aesthetic that evokes the great private libraries of France. The set contains La Fontaine’s celebrated tales, works that stand at the heart of French literary and intellectual culture, written during the classical age of Louis XIV and admired for their wit, elegance, and subtle satire. In this edition, the text is elevated through presentation, transforming literature into a visual and tactile object of luxury. Both volumes are leather bound and display ornate gilt-decorated spines and boards with classical motifs and have rich, uniform bindings designed to mirror 18th-century aristocratic library styles. Both volumes have clean interiors with traditional typography and ribbon bookmarks. From the estate of Pierre Chambrin, a distinguished French chef who served as the Executive Chef at the White House during the Bush and Clinton administrations. His personal library reflects a cultivated connection to French cultural heritage, adding a layer of authentic intellectual and presidential-era provenance to this already elegant set. Being sold by one of the owners of The Rug Life, Sabrina Chambrin Jureidini, the only Daughter of Pierre Chambrin. This book set comes with a COA signed by Sabrina, and one of Pierre’s original White House business cards. Each volume has one of Chef Chambrin’s stamps or embossed seal on an inside page. Pierre Chambrin (1947-2024) is a French-born American chef who served as the White House Executive Chef from 1989 to 1994. Chambrin was born in Paris on September 13, 1947. He received his culinary education at the Ecole des Metiers de l’alimentation, which he attended from 1961 to 1963. He moved to the United States in 1969 and opened a restaurant called Picot's Place in Massachusetts. In 1979 Chambrin took over the Washington, D.C. restaurant Maison Blanche, located near the White House. Chambrin was appointed under the presidency of George H. W. Bush to succeed Hans Raffert. He was succeeded by Walter Scheib. After leaving the White House, Chambrin became the executive chef at the Saint Louis Club in St. Louis, Missouri. The Maitres Cuisiniers de France named him "Chef of the Year" in 2008, and the Academie Culinaire de France bestowed its Lifetime Achievement Award on him in 2013.

Condition
Fine, Unread