Jean de LA TAILLE. Le Blason des pierres precieuses contenant leurs vertuz & proprietez. Small booklet in-4, black half-basin, spine with 4 ornate nerves ( 19th century binding). Brunet, III-869 // Cioranescu, 12701. 18 f.-(2 f.) / A-E4 / 130 x 188 mm. First edition. Born in Bondaroy around 1540, Jean de La Taille was destined to become a magistrate before becoming enthusiastic about poetry after reading the works of Ronsard and Du Bellay. He died around 1608, leaving behind various works of poetry, drama and history. The work consists of a first part in prose, printed in round type, in which the author describes all the precious stones (color, appearance, hardness, etc.), as well as their supposed virtues: c'est un cas merveilleux [...] that today most of France does not pay any attention to precious stones [...] This first part is followed by poems on the same theme and various epigrams, printed in italics. The Blason des pierres précieuses was published twice by Lucas Breyer in 1574, once following La Géomance abrégée with its own title, and once in this separate edition. La Géomance abrégée with its own title, the other time in this separate edition. The latter is illustrated with two woodcuts in fine, one depicting the author and the other his coat of arms: a lion with his motto In utrun[m] que paratus. Crack at foot of one spine. Title 3 mm shorter in lateral margin. Provenance: Anatole Basseville (bookplate).