Jacques Desbordes

irst edition of the French translation, and the first appearance of the work in French, of Bartolomé Leonardo de Argensola’s major history of the conquest of the Moluccas, first published in Spanish at Madrid in 1609. The illustration comprises three repeated frontispieces, one portrait, six maps and twenty-six folding plates, making thirty-six illustrations in all; the present copy is complete with all plates, including the map of Ceylon, often lacking.

 

Contemporary full mottled brown calf. Spines with raised bands, decorated with central floral lozenges and gilt rolls...

Factitious collection composed of 5 pieces (in separate pagination) by La Fosse illustrated with 5 frontispieces by Van d'Aveele published by Desbordes between 1698 and 1702. General title in red and black. Polixene. 1698. Thesee. 1702. Manlius Capitolinus (same date as the original). 1698. Gabinie. 1700. Le distrait. 1698.
Contemporary full calf binding, decorated spine with raised bands.
'It was only at the age of forty-three that Lafosse brought to the stage POLIXENE, his first tragedy. This work had great success during seventeen performances. The Dauphin, attending the second, was so pleased with the actors' performance that he had them given a hundred louis. Two years after...

New edition, the first editions of both parts having appeared in 1704 and 1706 respectively.
Contemporary full glazed brown sheep binding. Spine with five raised bands decorated with a red morocco title-label, gilt compartments and fleurons, as well as a broad gilt dentelle at foot. Gilt roll on leading edges and headcaps. All edges speckled red. Headcaps worn. Headband at head severed. Corners bumped. Some pale foxing.
Compilation of anecdotes, short tales and apophthegms, moral reflections, maxims - the type of work offering pleasant reading that the 17th century enjoyed.