Mœurs, Usages et Costumes – Paul Lacroix – 1874 | Beautiful Gilt Binding & Chromolithographs

Mœurs, Usages et Costumes au Moyen Âge by Paul Lacroix, printed in 1874, is a beautifully illustrated look at medieval society. This edition is known for its large chromolithograph plates and for its stunning decorative style. The binding is fully gilt-stamped, with gold page edges and ornate endpapers. Covering daily life, professions, religious groups, punishments, ceremonies, games, and clothing, it brings together rare images and stories from across the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The book is dense with scenes of guilds, royal events, traveling entertainers, courtroom rituals, and lesser-known communities like Jewish merchants and Roma travelers.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Mœurs, Usages et Costumes au Moyen Âge et à l’époque de la Renaissance
• Author(s): Paul Lacroix
• Illustrator(s): F. Kellerhoven
• Publisher: Paris, Firmin Didot Frères
• Edition:  4^th edition. 1874.
• Format: Quarto, single volume
• Binding: Leather spine, decorative gilt-stamped cloth, gilt edges, patterned endpapers
• Size:  11.5 in × 8.5 in (29 cm × 21 cm)
• Collation: [4], iv, 603, [1] pp
• Illustrations: Illustrated throughout with 15 full-page chromolithographs and numerous in-text engravings
• Contents Include:
  • Juifs: Jewish communities, ghetto laws, financial life, religious customs
  • Bohémiens, Gueux, Mendiants: Roma, beggars, street culture, languages
  • Justice et Tribunaux: Court systems, feudal justice, public trials
  • Tribunaux Secrets: Inquisition, underground courts, punishment
  • Impôts, Monnaies et Finances: Taxes, coinage, royal finances
  • Corps de Métiers: Guild rules, apprenticeships, crafts
  • Cérémonial: Coronations, weddings, mourning customs
  • Costumes: Clothing by rank, time period, and region
  • Jeux et Divertissements: Medieval games, plays, circus performers
  • Commerce: Markets, fairs, merchant travel
  • Pénalité: Crimes, torture, execution methods

Condition:

This copy is housed in gilt-stamped boards with elaborate leather spine decoration and bright gold page edges. The endpapers feature patterned designs typical of high-end 19th-century French production. The paper is clean and well preserved, with strong printing throughout. The full-color plates remain vibrant, and the binding is sound with no repairs.

Why Collect This?

• Stunning, fine binding display
• Covers overlooked groups like Roma and medieval Jewish communities
• Beautiful illustrations on costume, work, punishment, and celebration
• Includes curious descriptions of medieval torture techniques and crime

INVENTORY NUMBER (SKU): #28761