Susanne Schulz-Falster Catalogue Eighteen - International League ...

8vo, pp. [viii], 163, [3]; 12mo, pp. 48; xii, 156; some light even
browning; contemporary full calf, sides with triple gilt rule, flat spine
decoratively gilt, gilt-lettered spine label; expert repair to upper joint
and head of spine; corners bumped, but overall a good copy.
First editions of all three works, including the two earliest treatises
exclusively devoted to the history and origin of playing cards followed by a
light-hearted essay on lanterns and other forms of illumination.
I. In his well-documented study, clearly based on historical sources, which
are cited extensively, Bullet maintains that playing cards were a French
invention. He indicates early legislation regulating card games and gambling,
and gives in addition to the citation a brief abstract of the contents of the
legislation. He comments on the iconography of playing cards, on the
different suites, and on the production of early playing cards. The earliest
documented playing cards were from Spain, from where they also made
their way to the Americas. The first playing cards were painted, only later
woodcuts were used to produce them, which reduced their price and made
them more readily available. He concludes with a brief introduction to the
most common card games, such as piquet, hombre, hoc, and lansquenet, with
information on their origin.
Jean Baptiste Bullet (1699–1775), philosopher and historian, was born
in Besançon, and is best known for his history of the Celtic languages. He
includes linguistic approaches when trying to trace the origin of certain
cards or games. A detailed advertisement for future publications (clearly
over-optimistic) is bound after the preface.
II. Jean-Joseph Rive (1730–1791), the famous bibliographer, draws
extensively on earlier citations and places the origin of playing cards in
Spain, from Moorish origins. From Spain they were introduced in Italy
in 1282. Rive gives extensive information on the further distribution of
playing cards and card playing.
III. Dreux du Radier, Le Camus and Le Boeuf et Jamet collaborated on this
squib on lanterns and light sources, with the clear intent to both amuse and
entertain. The light-hearted essay is given an impression of gravitas through
numerous quotations, references to the classics and general comparisons in
literature, such as the discourse on the ‘essay’ as a literary form. Mention
is made of the laterna magica, Chinese lanterns and Paris street lighting.
Underhand comments are made on the philosophes, Rousseau, Voltaire
and others. According to Barbier contributors included in addition to
the writer Dreux du Radier (1714–1780), the medical doctor Le Camus
(1722–1772), the essayist Jean Le Boef (1687–1760) and the writer and
famous bibliophile François Louis Jamet (1710–1778).
I. Bigmore & Wyman I p. 91; Cioranescu 14871; OCLC: Chicago, Harvard,
NYPL, Yale, Morgan, Philadelphia; II. Bigmore & Wyman II p. 261; Cioranescu
53423; (OCLC:) Yale, Nevada, Cleveland, Harvard, North Carolina, Newberry,
Morgan III. Barbier II, 214 f; Cioranescu 25382; 34461; 37925; see Hargrave, A
History of Playing Cards, and H.T. Morley, Old and Curious Playing Cards.
susanne schulz-falster rare books catalogue eighteen
22. CHAMPION, Joseph. New and complete alphabets in all
the various hands of Great Britain, with the Greek, Hebrew, and
German characters. London, Robert Sayer, ca. 1760. £550
Oblong 4to, (165 x 225 mm), ll. 21 engraved on one side only; paper
a little browned and dust-soiled; title with repair to verso, possibly
resulting from the removal of a book-plate; recent calf-backed boards,
with original label mounted to upper board.
An attractive copy book by the writing master and accountant Joseph
Champion (1709 –1768), who published a number of works on calligraphy.
In addition to English and Italian capitals, a secretary alphabet, an italic
script alphabet, a number of court alphabets, a chancery alphabet, and
Greek and Hebrew alphabets are included.
There appear to be a number of issues/editions of this work, the original
c. 1754 engraved by Bickham (watermark crowned shield with fleur-de-lis
over LVG), another undated edition engraved John Howard, printed on
the same paper (this copy), and a 1790s edition on wove paper. The present
copy is dedicated to the Princess of Wales.
ESTC t149007; see Heal, p. 181; Becker 213; Bonacini 349–50, Berlin 5067, all
apparently other editions;