Paris 1683

The only edition of Mallet's classic description of Africa,  the book with gilt binding :
Description de l' Univers' ... Par Allain Manesson Mallet...Tome troisième /  Afrique ancienne et moderne.

Original book:  4to (approp. 22 x 14 cm), with 107 maps and views of "modern" Africa, ancient Africa, regions, islands, etc., numerous decorative scenes of people, and animals, etc. 256 pages of text with illustrated title page, table of contents, index, and privilege from the king.  Bookplate on inside front board of "Le Comte de Luzignem", with his coat of arms.

Book #AB-09    
$ Sold
 

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Alain Mallet's Description de l' Univers'... was published in Paris in 1683 by Denys Thierry at ruë S. Jacques, á l'Enseigne de la Ville de Paris. The book, covering the entire world, was published in five volumes.  Volume III was a comprehensive history of ancient and modern Africa. The volume was extensively illustrated with maps, plans and views, including a map of ancient Africa and a map of modern Africa.

The book was only published in 1683 and the two maps of Africa are only known in one state.  Owing to the book's popularity, due in part to its convenient size and its extensive use of illustrations, the book (Volume III on Africa) was published in Frankfurt, Germany, by Johann David Zunner in 1685 with a new modern map of Africa (Map # 136). The book was published for a final time in Frankfurt in 1719 by J.A. Jung.

The bookplate on the inside front, original boards belongs to "Le Comte de Luzignem", with his coat of arms.  It is possible that Comte de Luzignem is from Bretagne in France.  The literature refers to a Hugues-Thibault-Henri-Jacques, marquis de Luzignem (1749 - 1814).  This Luzignem was a Deputy of the French Estates Generale of 1789.  This book possibly belonged to him or to an ancestor.

Betz, Map #132 and #133.  Pastoureau 1984: 309-322.

A beautiful example in contemporary calf with gilt back (scratched and rubbed as normal for book of this age).  Two leaves (page 19-21) more brown-strained, otherwise only occasional minimal age-toning.  A clean, bright copy, well-preserved example in very good, sharp printing.