VENDU
2 folio volumes (371 x 232 mm) of 18 unnumbered leaves (title, epistle, preface, ode, tables), 467 numbered leaves, 12 unnumbered leaves. (table), 1 portrait, 2 colored folding maps for volume I; 8 unnumbered leaves, numbered leaves from 469 to 914, then 912 to 936, then 903 to 1025 (without interruption of text), 17unnumbered leaves and 2 colored folding maps for volume II. Brown calf, gilt fillet framing boards, gilt central medallion, spine gilt with raised bands, gilt title (contemporary binding).
1 in stock
Lestringant, André Thevet, pp. 374-376, no. 14; Sabin 95335; Atkinson 249n; Borba de Moraes II, pp. 859-860; Arents, I, 8 & 21; Adams T/623; Mortimer French, 517; JCB (3) I:261; Brun p. 312 (title addressed to G. Chaudière); Alden-Landis, 575/32.
First edition of one of the most important travel books of the 16th century.
A French Franciscan priest, historian, and cosmographer, André Thevet entered the Franciscan order around 1528. From 1548, he spent five or six years traveling from Venice, visiting Greece, Turkey, Rhodes, Palestine, Cyprus, and Malta. In 1551, he accompanied Guillaume le Testu on a voyage to Brazil and brought back to Europe, among other things, the use of tobacco. In May 1555, he embarked as chaplain with Villegagnon’s first expedition, which established a French colony on the Brazilian coast. Thevet returned to France in June 1556. In 1558, he was appointed chaplain to the queen and, under Henry II and Charles IX, received the titles of cosmographer and royal historian. This very rare book is illustrated with 288 woodcuts in the text and four double-page maps, colored at the time in this copy. “The map of America bears the indication ‘France Antarque’ near the Rio de Janeiro region and the names ‘Cap de Frie’ and ‘Rio de Janeiro’.
“On the verso of leaf 908 is a plate of Guanabara Bay and on leaf 925 a dominical prayer in Tupi (…) The Brazilian section of the Cosmographie is very important; in a sense it is more complete than the Singularitez. The description of the Indians’ attire, the information about the Tupinambá, their beliefs, etc., are much more complete and among the best existing.
The Singularitez was published immediately after Thevet returned to France in 1557, and the Cosmographie appeared only in 1575, which afforded him more time to deliberate on the matter and perhaps to consult people who knew Brazil better. Ferdinand Denis, who based his information on a letter from Richer, claims that Thevet consulted Villegagnon. On reading the Cosmographie, one does not get the impression that Thevet “lied cosmographically,” in the words of Jean de Léry (Borba de Moraes).
A very fine copy of this rare and important book.
Scattered brown spots on the volumes, some water stains on the two volumes, a few pages incorrectly numbered. Complete copy, identical to the BNF digitization.
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