LA MOTTE (Antoine Houdar de). Les Œuvres de théâtre. Paris, Grégoire Dupuis, 1730. 2 volumes in-12, red morocco, framed with gilt fillets, coat of arms in the centre surmounted by the words Choisy-Le Roy in gilt letters, spine decorated with a repeated interlaced and crowned numeral, inner fleur-de-lys border, gilt edges (Period binding). First collective edition by Antoine Houdar de La Motte (1672-1731). Along with his friend Fontenelle, whose open-mindedness and curiosity he shared, he frequented the salon of the Marquise de Lambert. A supporter of modern theatre, he was elected to the Académie in 1710. Bound at the end of the first volume, by the same author: Suite des réflexions sur la tragédie, où l'on répond à Mr de Voltaire. Paris, Grégoire Dupuis, 1730. A copy bound with the arms and cipher of Louis XV, for the library of the royal castle of Choisy-le-Roy. In 1739, Louis XV bought the Château de Choisy from the Duc de La Vallière, who had just inherited it from the Princesse de Conti. Close to the Sénart forest, where he liked to hunt, the king had it embellished by Jacques-Ange Gabriel, his chief architect, and decorated by the best artists and craftsmen of the time. Château de Choisy represents the most accomplished expression of French style at the time. Louis XV had an auditorium installed there, whose performances often ended with the famous Soupers de Choisy. From 1746, the Marquise de Pompadour made frequent visits here. She had Pierre-Joseph Bernard (1708-1775), known as Gentil-Bernard, a member of the Société du Caveau and a friend of Voltaire, appointed librarian of Her Majesty's cabinet of books. Handwritten in pencil on a flyleaf: La baronne Berthe de Bussière, souvenir d'amitié, Jaim Sarmento, Janvier 1871. From the libraries of Paul Grandsire (1930, no. 486), with bookplate, Lucius Wilmerding (1951, no. 378), with bookplate, and an amateur (2015, no. 66). Upper edge of the second volume restored on two spines. Soleinne, II, n°1592 and V, n°392.