![[Fonteneau of Saintonge, Jean] Alfonce, Jean, Les Voyages avantureux, N.d. [1559]. Poitiers. Jean de Marnef.](https://artlogic-res.cloudinary.com/w_1600,h_1600,c_limit,f_auto,fl_lossy,q_auto/artlogicstorage/hsrarebooks/images/view/a0f2046458e722458ddbba4750583e45j/hsrarebooks-fonteneau-of-saintonge-jean-alfonce-jean-les-voyages-avantureux-n.d.-1559-.-poitiers.-jean-de-marnef..jpg)
[Fonteneau of Saintonge, Jean] Alfonce, Jean
Les Voyages avantureux, N.d. [1559]. Poitiers. Jean de Marnef.
The exceptionally rare first edition of the first sailing guide to North America, one of the earliest books on North American exploration, and a remarkable relation of the voyages undertaken by Alfonce across the World in the Century of Discoveries.
It’s nigh on impossible to over-estimate the importance of this work on America: it is second only to the Brief recit & succinte narration of Cartier´s second voyage to French Canada. It is “the earliest known announcement of the St. Lawrence basin” (Ganong, p. 276), and contains “important descriptions of the coast of Brazil, the Amazon delta, Newport Harbor, New York Harbor, and the Hudson River (over a half century before Hudson's voyage)” (Nebenzahl).
It’s nigh on impossible to over-estimate the importance of this work on America: it is second only to the Brief recit & succinte narration of Cartier´s second voyage to French Canada. It is “the earliest known announcement of the St. Lawrence basin” (Ganong, p. 276), and contains “important descriptions of the coast of Brazil, the Amazon delta, Newport Harbor, New York Harbor, and the Hudson River (over a half century before Hudson's voyage)” (Nebenzahl).
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4to, (200 x 145 mm). Signatures: ã4 A-R4 . (i.e. [4], 68ff.) Seventeenth century calf, raised bands to spine, all tooled in gilt and with unidentified cypher in compartments, a little rubbed and worn, especially in the lower spine, hinges starting on lower board. A brilliant copy, very clean and fresh, title with hand-written year beneath printer´s details “1559”, some foxing here and there, overall perfect, in the same condition it would have been in the 17th century after the binder´s touch.
Provenance: this work is further distinguished by its previous owner, Charles Pierre Claret, Count de Fleurieu (1738-1810), a French navigator, hydrographer, explorer, and Minister of Marine of France. He was instrumental in organising some of the French grand voyages, including La Perouse’s ill-fated journey; his engraved bookplate on front pastedown; Bibliotheque du Chateau de Menneval, engraved bookplate on first blank.
Provenance: this work is further distinguished by its previous owner, Charles Pierre Claret, Count de Fleurieu (1738-1810), a French navigator, hydrographer, explorer, and Minister of Marine of France. He was instrumental in organising some of the French grand voyages, including La Perouse’s ill-fated journey; his engraved bookplate on front pastedown; Bibliotheque du Chateau de Menneval, engraved bookplate on first blank.
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