A Lausanne, et se trouve à Lyon chez L. Rosset et à Paris chez Le Jay, 1772.
8vo [217 x 135 mm] of viii pp., 350 pp., (1) table l., (1) errata l., 3 folding plates. Slight waterstain in the upper margin. Preserved as published, untrimmed in the original wrappers. Contemporary binding.
Very rare first edition of this report on the art of making Provence wines.
Simon, Bibliotheca Gastronomica, 1315 (Paris) ; Simon, Vin, 16 ; Dartois, II, 476 (Paris). Unknown to Vicaire, Bitting, Schraemli.
This copy belongs to the first issue, published before the mistakes listed in the errata were corrected.
“This excellent work won the prize of the academy of Marseille in 1770. Beside a study on the red and white grapes located in Provence, the author added an essay on the means used to renew a grapevine, an essay on the economic uses of the different parts of the grapevine and an essay on the vessels able to contain, improve the wine and on their related objects.
François Rozier, born in Lyons in 1734, was a famous agronomist. Successively doctor of theology, director of the veterinary school of Lyons, he was also a constitutional priest during the Revolution, and member of many Botanical societies. He died in 1793, killed in his bed by a bomb.
Simon 1315 – Lambert 381 – Unknown to Vicaire, Bitting, Schraemli.”(Oberlé, Les Fastes de Bacchus et de Comus, n°936)
“In 1796, the Academy of Marseille proposed the solution to this question: ‘What is the best way to make and rule the wines of Provence, either for use, or to transport them by sea?
Rozier competed; his memoir full of new perspectives and important facts was crowned.
This dissertation, on the art of making wine, is entirely based on the experiences of its author; it’s a real manual for vineyard-owners in the South of France.
This Memoir, first printed in the collection of works of the Academy of Marseille, was reprinted in 1772, with three dissertations of greatest interest: the first, on the ways to renew a vineyard; the second, on the economic uses of the different parts of the vineyard; and the third, on how to contain wine in vessels, to improve it, and on the objects that are linked with it.” (A. de Boissieu, Eloge de l’Abbé Rozier, p. 13)
The illustration consists of three engraved folded plates at the end showing oenological instruments.
This very rare book is missing from almost every collection and the few bibliographies that mention it only know for the most part only the Parisian issue published later without the leaf of errata.
Precious copy preserved as published, untrimmed and in wrappers.
