[N.p.], 1556.
1 vol. 16mo of 740 pp., (14) ll. Full-calf binding, gilt fillet around the covers, gilt fleuron in the center, ribbed spine decorated with gilt fleurons, upper extremity of the spine restored. Contemporary Parisian binding.
120 x 70 mm.
Second collective edition of Rabelais’ Works, the finest and most expensive of all, published shortly after the death of François Rabelais.
Brunet, IV, 1055; Tchemerzine, V, 304; Rawles and Screech n°60; Plan, n°94.
Extremely rare, only 13 copies survive to this day recorded by Screech-Rawles, most of them in the public domain and only 4 in antique bindings.
Brunet records (Supplement, 365 and 366) copies in similar condition of the first collective edition published in 1553 and of this one. The latter, which he qualifies as “a charming edition”, has always obtained the highest bids. Sale Soleil (1867; 51 francs for the 1553 edition and 100 F for the 1556 edition); Sale Taschereau (115 francs for the 1553 copy bound by Chambolle-Duru and 250 F for the 1556 copy bound at the same time by Hardy).
This second collective edition of Rabelais’ Works is printed in attractive, small, round letters, close tothose of the printer jean de Tournes from Lyon.
The text largely follows that of the 1553 edition, but book three is in 48 chapters instead of 47, and the edition is probably given, according to P.P. Plan, from an undated edition that he cites only after Brunet.
The last fifteen pages contain the Pantagrueline Prognostication, giving astronomical predictions concerning events and people, as well as the seasons, etc. Page 169 contains a dizain by the poet Hugues Salel, dedicated to Rabelais.
At the end of chapter XXXII of the Faicts & Dicts there is a satirical allusion against Calvin which was later deleted: Depuis elle engendra les Matagotz, Cagotz & Papelats : les Maniacles Pistoletz : les Demoniacles Caluins imposteurs de Geneue : les enragéz Putherbes, Brissaux, Caphars, Chattemittes, Canibales : & autres monstres difformes & contrefaits en despit de Nature.
The fourth book, Les Faicts & Dicts héroïques du bon Pantagruel, is dedicated to Odet de Châtillon, the brother of Marshal de Coligny, victim of the St. Bartholomew’s Day.
“How to see the work of Rabelais? A village inn, drinking white wine in cheerful company? A landscape of vineyards, fields and meadows? Or a mysterious mountain with ruined pagan temples, medieval castles, bold modern buildings – with chasms and peaks lost in the clouds? Yes. And something else, something unique, that’s all its own, and which we’ll define once again as the junction between joie de vivre and lucidity”. Henri Lefebvre.
Undoubtedly one of the finest copies in private hands of the second collective edition of the Works of Rabelais, and one of only four known in contemporary binding. Lucien Scheler mentioned in his correction of Tchemerzine (V, page 304): “I know of only two fine copies in contemporary bindings, the one from the Escoffier sale, 1933, and my own, in brown morocco with azure and gilt foliage decoration”. Only one other copy in a restored antique binding, with the first section unstuck, was sold 27 years ago at Christie’s for $90,000 (€100,000 at the time) (Christie’s New York, April 21, 1997, lot 54).
Precious wide-margined copy preserved in its contemporary fawn decorated calf from the Radoulesco library with engraved bookplate.
