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ETIENNE DE FLACOURT (1607-1660)
Histoire de la Grande Isle Madagascar. Paris: Jean Henault, 1658. Part i (only, of 3), 4° (219 x 166mm). Woodcut title-vignette. Engraved folding dedication. 6 engraved folding maps and plans and 6 engraved plates, 5 folding, one double-page. Woodcut initials and head- and tailpieces. (Some light offsetting or browning, 2 folding plates and maps with short tear, others slightly creased, light dampstaining in quire B.) Contemporary English sheep, boards ruled in blind, spine ruled in compartments with gilt morocco lettering-piece in one, red-speckled edges (extremities lightly rubbed, small chips at spine-ends, a few small wormholes on spine, cracking on hinges). Provenance: John Evelyn (1620-1706, ownership inscription and annotations), and by descent; later Lady Evelyn and 'JE' bookplates; The Evelyn Library II, Christie's, 30 Nov. 1977, lot 579).
THE FIRST BOOK ON MADAGASCAR, FROM THE LIBRARY OF JOHN EVELYN. De Flacourt was named Governor of Madagascar by the French East India Company in 1648 and he remained on the island until February 1655, successfully pacifying the mutinous French troops on the island, but failing to develop good relations with the indigenous peoples. Upon his return to France de Flacourt wrote his Histoire, the first comprehensive account of the island, which was first published in 1658 (under Henault's and other imprints), and then revised for a second edition which appeared posthumously in 1661. The work is composed of three parts, but the first part is sometimes also found alone, as here or the copy cited by Pritzel. This copy is from the library of the diarist, horticulturist, and founding fellow of the Royal Society, John Evelyn, and bears his characteristic autograph marks of ownership: on the front free endpaper he has noted its inclusion in his library catalogue ('Catalogo JEvelyni inscriptus.') followed by the second part of the motto 'Omnia explorate, meliora retinete', which he was wont to inscribe in his books. On the title is the scored-through pressmark 'O.55' and the front free endpaper bears the later pressmark 'Jupiter 25'. Throughout the text, passages have been marked in pencil, and there is a pencilled note at the end of the text (?'p[e]rlegi'). Brunet II, col. 1278; Pritzel 2929 (part i only); for Evelyn's library, cf. G. Keynes John Evelyn (Oxford: 1968).
Histoire de la Grande Isle Madagascar. Paris: Jean Henault, 1658. Part i (only, of 3), 4° (219 x 166mm). Woodcut title-vignette. Engraved folding dedication. 6 engraved folding maps and plans and 6 engraved plates, 5 folding, one double-page. Woodcut initials and head- and tailpieces. (Some light offsetting or browning, 2 folding plates and maps with short tear, others slightly creased, light dampstaining in quire B.) Contemporary English sheep, boards ruled in blind, spine ruled in compartments with gilt morocco lettering-piece in one, red-speckled edges (extremities lightly rubbed, small chips at spine-ends, a few small wormholes on spine, cracking on hinges). Provenance: John Evelyn (1620-1706, ownership inscription and annotations), and by descent; later Lady Evelyn and 'JE' bookplates; The Evelyn Library II, Christie's, 30 Nov. 1977, lot 579).
THE FIRST BOOK ON MADAGASCAR, FROM THE LIBRARY OF JOHN EVELYN. De Flacourt was named Governor of Madagascar by the French East India Company in 1648 and he remained on the island until February 1655, successfully pacifying the mutinous French troops on the island, but failing to develop good relations with the indigenous peoples. Upon his return to France de Flacourt wrote his Histoire, the first comprehensive account of the island, which was first published in 1658 (under Henault's and other imprints), and then revised for a second edition which appeared posthumously in 1661. The work is composed of three parts, but the first part is sometimes also found alone, as here or the copy cited by Pritzel. This copy is from the library of the diarist, horticulturist, and founding fellow of the Royal Society, John Evelyn, and bears his characteristic autograph marks of ownership: on the front free endpaper he has noted its inclusion in his library catalogue ('Catalogo JEvelyni inscriptus.') followed by the second part of the motto 'Omnia explorate, meliora retinete', which he was wont to inscribe in his books. On the title is the scored-through pressmark 'O.55' and the front free endpaper bears the later pressmark 'Jupiter 25'. Throughout the text, passages have been marked in pencil, and there is a pencilled note at the end of the text (?'p[e]rlegi'). Brunet II, col. 1278; Pritzel 2929 (part i only); for Evelyn's library, cf. G. Keynes John Evelyn (Oxford: 1968).
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