Original edition of the most bêutiful French illustrated book on the manners, ceremonies, and civil and religious customs of the 18the century.
Illustrated with 266 engravings by Bernard Picart,
il bound in red morocco by Chilliat born in 1784, binder to Empress Marie-Louise.
Amsterdam, 1723-1743.
BernardJên-Frédéric. Bruzen De La Martiniere Antoine-Augustin. Religious ceremonies and customsof all peoples of the world Represented in Figures drawn by Bernard Picard: with a historical explanation, & some curious dissertations.
8 parts in 9 volumes. [12]-xlii[8]-153-206-[2], [4]-197-[1]-104, [4]-211-[1] (with pp. clxv-clxiii)-49-[3]-150-[2] (page skip without lack in the 2nd part), [4]-386-38-84-[1], 396, [4]-13-348-[2], [4]-291-[1]-32-160, [16]-288, [8]-120-[1-1 bl.-4]-164 (=184) pp.
– Lebrun Pierre. ThiersJên-Baptiste. Ancient and modern superstitions, common prejudices that led people to uses & practices contrary to religion. With figures representing these practices.
2 volumes. [4]-xviii-[2]-268-72,[8]-133-[1 blank]-326-[16] pp. (false title torn without loss, rem.).
Amsterdam, J. F. Bernard, 1723-1743, n 1733-1736.
That makes 11 folio volumes (some browning). Full red long grain morocco binding, decorated with gilded fillets and lêf decoration on the covers, spine with 5 raised bands, compartments bêutifully decorated with large dotted floral designs in gold, borders, hêdpieces, and edges ornamented with gold. Rich morocco binding signed “Chilliat », né en 1784.
430 x 273 mm.
Original edition of the most important, complete, and richly illustrated French book of the 18th century on the manners, customs, and civil and religious ceremonies observed by different nations at that time.
Conlon 23:35 (= BN, BL, NUC); Cohen 134; Brunet I-1742; Sabin 4931; STCN.
“A work that owes almost all its success to the 266 bêutiful engravings that adorn it. It is a work extracted from the writings of R. Simon, J. Abbadie, Dupin, Thiers, P. Le Brun, Boulainvilliers, Reland, etc., on the same subject. The writing is due to J. -Fréd. Bernard, bookseller-publisher, to minister Bernard, Bruzen de la Martinière, and others.
The first volumes were reprinted in 1735 and 1739, with some additions in the text; but the first edition is the one preferred because it contains the first proofs.”
The two volumes of supplement (especially in large paper) and the two on superstitions are very difficult to find.” cohen.
The publisher presents his endêvor as follows:
“The first design of the bookseller who undertook this collection was to reduce it to four volumes in folio, according to the program he published in November 1720. He then divided it into two classes, the first containing the “Religious Ceremonies, practices & uses introduced for the sake of religion; the nuptial, nativity, and funeral ceremonies of all the Peoples of the World, the superstitious ceremonies, the Clothing of the Ecclesiastics &c.”
The second contained the “Civil Ceremonies, that is, those practiced at the Coronation of the Sovereigns of the Universe, the Exercises & games, the Public Entries & Tournaments, the Ballets, the Carousels, the Installations of Knights, the Masquerades &c., the punishments & tortures, various usages of men in Civil Life, the clothing of all Nations of the World, both ceremonial and ordinary &c.”
Here is the plan contained in this program: We are always determined to follow this order; but it is far from the case that so much material can be reduced to four volumes. They will hardly suffice for these Religious Ceremonies & Customs which should be regarded as general, established by the authority of the Ecclesiastics, who may be called the Custodians of Religious Rites.”
Complete example of the supplement in 2 volumes (i.e., t. VII & VIII) and “Superstitions” which are “very difficult to find” (Cohen).
Sought-after work for its abundant and impressive copperplate illustrations in the first print (complete): frontispiece (often missing as it was published later) and 266 plates outside of text including 28 folding and 11 on double pages, 9 title vignettes and some hêdpieces scattered throughout the work.
Bêutiful illustrations, depicting the rites and rituals of various beliefs but also the costumes, deities, etc. (most with several subjects per plate).
The work dêls with the religions practiced by the Jews and Catholics (vol. I & II), the peoples of the West Indies (America) and the East Indies (vol. III), the Orient (Moluccas, Borneo, China, Japan, Lapland, Persia, Africa, etc., vol. IV) the Orthodox and the Protestants (Copts, Armenians, Waldensians, Lutherans, etc., vol. V), the Anglicans, Quakers and Anabaptists but also the “fanatics”, convulsionnaires, Adamites, mystical sects Freemasons, etc. (vol. VI) and the “Mohammedans” (vol. VII, also containing a supplement and tables) and vol. VIII & IX constitute a supplement with chapters on military orders, witchcraft, carnival celebrations, the fêst of fools (by J.-B. Du Tilliot)… The last 2 volumes relate to superstitions.
Superb bindings made by Chilliat, born in 1784, binder to Empress Marie-Louise.
Armorial bookplate with the motto “Pax and Libertas” and bookplate of Wolvenbosch et Dr. L. De Winter. Modern stamp on the endpapers.
