[Dance Card or Carnet du Bal] Ball der Stadt Wien 7 Februar 1892

Vienna: August Klein, 1892. Morocco, with composite material mount on boards. Very Good Plus. An elaborate Renaissance styled leather dance card, with brass mount ornamentation. Oblong, 9 by 13 cm. Setting this dance card apart from the norm is that it is more like a small book within, with 27 leaves, plus an actual card, and each of the leaves is enriched with B/W illustrations on the rectos. Each of these pages is dedicated to one of the dances, and on most pages, there is a photographic oval cameo of the composer (or composer and lyricist), with the balance of the page given over to illustration(s) of the dance, or a scene somehow evocative of the dance or its spirit. The style of these etched drawings, and the ornamentation that frames and graces them, is very typical of the late nineteenth century and complements the Renaissance Revival relief work on the cover. The front and rear cover have gilt lined rectangular plaques for the title and date. The pencil which also holds the card closed has a brass finial at the top. A pink and white twine runs through the spine and can be suspended by a hook attached to a lady's garment, as usual, and the twine has a decorative tassel as well. Suspended below is a red wax medallion encased in wood, and this is attached to a red and white ribbon. Light rubbing to the leather. The ribbon holding the medal is torn in one place and held together with but a thread. One of two pencil stays partially torn.