Histoire du grand Royavme de la Chine, sitvé avx Indes orientales, duisée en deux parties : Contenant en la Premiere, la situation, antiquité, fertilité ; religion, ceremonies, sacrifices ; rois, magistrats, mœurs, vs, loix, & autres choses memorables dudit royaume : Et en la Seconde, trois voyages faits vers iceluy en l'an 1577. 1579. & 1581. auec les singularitez plus remarquables y veuës & entenduës : ensemble vn Itineraire du nouueau monde, & le descouurement du nouueau Mexique en l'an 1583. Faite en espagnol (…) & mise en françois auec des additions en marge, & deux Indices, Par Lvc de la Porte, Parisien, docteur és Droits. A Monseignevr le Chancelier[The History of the Great and Mighty Kingdom of China and the Situation Thereof]
Extremely rare first edition of the French translation by Luc de la Porte (cf. Lust 24. Cordier, Sinica, 12. Palau 105509. Sabin 27780. Wagner (SW) 7bb. Leclerc (1878) 258. Streit IV, 1999. Alden European Americana 588/37 – 8 copies recorded in the U.S.A. Atkinson 339.)
Contemporary full brown calf binding, spine with five raised bands decorated with double gilt compartments, joints and spine restored, gilt fillets partly faded on the edges, red edges. 17th-century binding.
Minor stain to margin at the beginning of the volume; tear to margin p. 62.
Extremely rare first edition of the French translation of one of the finest missionary accounts of 16th-century China; it includes a significant section on the Americas, notably the recent discovery of New Mexico by Antonio d'Espejo in 1583. It was through this work that Abraham Ortelius was able to complete the American section of his atlas (Sabin 27775).
Manuscript ex-libris on the title page: Cadt. Berdeilh; autograph letter signed by Marie de Berdeilh, dated Mirepoix, January 10, on the front endpaper; and an acknowledgment of debt signed by the same, mounted to front pastedown. Ex-libris of Gaston Héliot, an antiques dealer specializing in Chinese and Japanese curiosities c. 1920–1930.