Vertot

1730 · 38444 — Paris: Chez Nyon Didot & G.F. Quillau 1730. 12mo 16.5 cm 6.5". 2 vols. in 1. 2 72 357 3 ii 375 7 pp. <br><br>For some time one of the most widely read and discussed explanations of the arrival of the Celtic Britons in Armorica — though subsequently supplanted by less speculative and more documentable accounts — this treatise was written by the Abbé de Vertot 1655–1735 known as the official historiographer of the Knights of Malta. The present example containing both volumes in one is a reissue of the first edition of 1720 with the leaf following the title-page of the second volume reset and the privilege statement giving 1720; it is now uncommon with WorldCat finding => only one U.S. institutional holding.<br>    Provenance: Front free endpaper with affixed slip reading "Louis Duval Archiviste du département de l'Orne." Duval 1840–1917 was a prominent librarian and archivist and co-founder of the still-active Société historique et archéologique de l'Orne. <br>    <br>    Not in Brunet not in Graesse. Contemporary mottled sheep spine gilt extra with gilt-stamped leather title-label; rubbed and scuffed overall but gilt sill pleasing with spine extremities chipped. All edges stained red. Ex-library properly deaccessioned: Front pastedown with institutional label gutter of first text page with pencilled gift annotation back free endpaper with affixed bar code lined through; front free endpaper with slip as above. One leaf with minor paper flaw to outer margin; a handful of scattered small spots of foxing pages otherwise nearly pristine. Chez Nyon, Didot, & G.F. Quillau hardcover books