SOURBETS Georges Précis de fauconnerie contenant les indications nécessaires pour affaiter et gouverner les principaux oiseaux de vol suivi de l’éducation du cormoran.

Not in Frank ;  Thiébaud, 853; Schwerdt, II, 168; not in Souhart.

First edition, very rare.

Thiébaud indicates that the book was printed in 150 copies only.

The Traité de fauconnerie occupies 10 chapters, followed by a long essay on the training of fishing for cormorants.

“This book is of considerable value to the present-day falconers. George Sourbets was a practical falconer and had written in 1885 a small pamphlet, called ‘La Chasse au vol’, and the present publication, which he made in conjunction with M. de Saint-Marc, is a summary of the experiences of these two sportsmen. Mr. Harting (pp. 105-106) gives a description thereof and speaks well of it. It is divided into 10 chapters, which are followed by a treatise on the training of cormorants for fishing. Chapter 10 gives a collection of copies of letters addressed to one of the authors by well-known English and French falconers, which contain useful hints” (Schwerdt).

It is “a neat summary of nearly all that is necessary to be known in order to tame, train, and fly a hawk successfully” (Harting).

Fine copy.

Provenance : unidentified bookplate with the motto “Pas Veinard” – Hubert Lebaudy (bookplate).