Antoine de LA SALE

Rare critical edition of this medieval chivalric romance. Includes a preface on the origins of chivalry and early tournaments, along with a foreword to aid the understanding of the narrative. This edition also features two tales: Histoire de messire Floridan et de la belle Ellinde, et Addicion extraites des cronicques de Flandres, qui est très belle chose.
Contemporary full polished red morocco. Smooth spine with decorative gilt tooling, red morocco label for title and volume number. Triple gilt fillet border on covers. Gilt edges. Gilt inner dentelles. A few small spots of foxing. Title-page of the first volume reinforced at lower margin, an old restoration. Tail of volume I...

Manuscript based on the Gothic first edition of 1523, in black ink, in relatively legible handwriting. The manuscript is paginated from p.1 to 400. Approximately 28 lines per page. The final leaf reads: "Nouvellement imprimé à Paris, par Philippe Le Noir, libraire et relieur... Imprimé le 20e jour de juin mil cinq cent 23."

Contemporary full glazed blonde calf binding. Spine with raised bands decorated. Red morocco title-label. 2 corners slightly bumped. Rubbing. Scratches to boards. Worming to first 8 leaves in outer margin, without consequence; also minor worming to upper board. A handsome copy.
The spelling of the 1523 version appears to have been modernized in...