Mons

New edition of the French translation known as the Port-Royal version, prepared by the theologian Louis-Isaac Le Maistre de Sacy.

The first edition of this “Nouveau Testament de Mons” had appeared in 1667.

This is the final edition printed by Daniel Elzevier.

Contemporary full black morocco, spine with five raised bands gilt with decorative rolls and richly gilt compartments, minor rubbing to spine and boards, covers framed with triple gilt fillets and gilt corner fleurons, red morocco doublures entirely covered with an elaborate gilt interlacing design and small dotted tools, comb-marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, corners slightly bumped, gilt rolls to the turn-ins, contemporary binding.

Our copy was bound without the four table leaves of the first part.

A handsome ruled copy, in a contemporary doublé morocco binding decorated à la fanfare, certain tools suggesting an attribution to the so-called “des Caumartin” workshop (see Esmerian II, Tableau synoptique, Appendix A-VII).

First edition of the Port-Royal translation of the New Testament. The work was initiated by Antoine Le Maistre, and continued by Antoine Arnauld and Louis-Isaac Le Maistre de Sacy. The preface was revised by Pierre Nicole and Claude de Sainte-Marthe. This edition is generally attributed to Daniel Elzevier of Amsterdam and is finely printed. Frontispiece after Philippe de Champaigne, engraved by Van Schuppen. According to Brunet, who provides an extensive description of this first edition (V. 749), it was printed by Elzevier and sold by Migeot; he also notes that there were two printings of this first edition, the second distinguished by the absence of a title page in the second volume. First title page printed in red and black. Copy entirely ruled in red. Although the second printing is characterized by the missing title page, another issue—possibly earlier—without privilege also exists; the present copy includes both the privilege and a title page in the second volume. One may therefore wonder whether there were not in fact three distinct printings of this first edition.
Contemporary full green morocco bindings. Spines with raised bands, richly gilt. Gilt titles and volume numbers. Triple gilt fillet borders on covers. Gold-stamped decorative paper endpapers. Gilt edges. Inner dentelles. Spines slightly faded. Some rubbing. Opposite the frontispiece, a manuscript page reproducing Brunet’s note on this edition.

A handsome contemporary morocco-bound copy.