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[Manuscript]. [Persia, Armenia]. ROBIN (Louis). Histoire de l'ambassade faite en Perse par monsieur Fabre et monsieur Michel envoyez extraordinaires pendantans les années 1705, 1706, 1707, 1708 et 1709... [S.l., circa 1720]. Two parts in one volume, in-4, contemporary mottled havana calf, 5-ribbed spine, garnet-red morocco title page, ornate caissons, red edges (defects including faded and rubbed boards, partial splitting of jaws; some browning and rings, not serious). Exceptional unpublished manuscript, most probably autograph, offering a new version of the incredible story of the embassy sent to Persia by Louis XIV. Led by Marseilles merchant and adventurer Jean-Baptiste Fabre, the delegation traveled from 1705 to 1709, encountering an interminable series of setbacks. Fabre's companion, a certain Marie Petit, was blamed for most of these setbacks, whose inappropriate behavior was said to have caused dissension among the embassy members, and difficulties in relations with the rulers of the regions crossed. Fabre died en route, in Yerevan, and the mission was taken over by Pierre Victor Michel, an embassy secretary who had arrived from Constantinople. This manuscript contains the account written by a certain Louis Robin, about whom we know almost nothing, except that he took part in this epic as a surgeon, or doctor. A closer reading of the document may reveal more about him. What is certain is that he is keen to tell his side of the story, and that he is writing against Marie Petit. But that's not the main contribution of this precious text: it describes in great detail the itineraries, the places crossed, and offers first-hand accounts of the populations encountered, "... some particularities concerning the Turks, Arabs, Gezides, Sabis, Maronites and Armenians". The manuscript is entirely in the same hand, which we assume to be that of the author, who signs the introduction. In fine, neat handwriting, it contains a number of erasures and corrections. It consists of [4] leaves (false-title bearing "Anecdotes de lambassade en perse", title, and 3 pages of obverse), then a first part paginated from 1 to 138; [3] blank leaves, [1] leaf bearing the title of the second part, then the text of the second part paginated from 1 to 135, followed by 4 blank leaves. We date it to circa 1720, since in his preface, the author alludes to "Robinson" and adds in a note "c'est un livre imprimé depuis quelques années d'un voyageur anglois", and the first edition of Daniel Defoe's novel appeared in English in 1719 and in French in 1720. A loose leaf, added by a descendant of Louis Robin, stencils the title "Voyage en Perse", accompanied by a note on the author. Also enclosed is an excerpt from a 1715 Amsterdam gazette, in which a paragraph refers to Louis Robin's promised and eagerly-awaited account. Provenance: Édouard Frémy (1843-1904), known as "le comte Frémy", with engraved bookplate and handwritten mention, and by descent. This manuscript was never sold in modern times, and we know of no copies.

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[Manuscript]. [Persia, Armenia]. ROBIN (Louis). Histoire de l'ambassade faite en Perse par monsieur Fabre et monsieur Michel envoyez extraordinaires pendantans les années 1705, 1706, 1707, 1708 et 1709... [S.l., circa 1720]. Two parts in one volume, in-4, contemporary mottled havana calf, 5-ribbed spine, garnet-red morocco title page, ornate caissons, red edges (defects including faded and rubbed boards, partial splitting of jaws; some browning and rings, not serious). Exceptional unpublished manuscript, most probably autograph, offering a new version of the incredible story of the embassy sent to Persia by Louis XIV. Led by Marseilles merchant and adventurer Jean-Baptiste Fabre, the delegation traveled from 1705 to 1709, encountering an interminable series of setbacks. Fabre's companion, a certain Marie Petit, was blamed for most of these setbacks, whose inappropriate behavior was said to have caused dissension among the embassy members, and difficulties in relations with the rulers of the regions crossed. Fabre died en route, in Yerevan, and the mission was taken over by Pierre Victor Michel, an embassy secretary who had arrived from Constantinople. This manuscript contains the account written by a certain Louis Robin, about whom we know almost nothing, except that he took part in this epic as a surgeon, or doctor. A closer reading of the document may reveal more about him. What is certain is that he is keen to tell his side of the story, and that he is writing against Marie Petit. But that's not the main contribution of this precious text: it describes in great detail the itineraries, the places crossed, and offers first-hand accounts of the populations encountered, "... some particularities concerning the Turks, Arabs, Gezides, Sabis, Maronites and Armenians". The manuscript is entirely in the same hand, which we assume to be that of the author, who signs the introduction. In fine, neat handwriting, it contains a number of erasures and corrections. It consists of [4] leaves (false-title bearing "Anecdotes de lambassade en perse", title, and 3 pages of obverse), then a first part paginated from 1 to 138; [3] blank leaves, [1] leaf bearing the title of the second part, then the text of the second part paginated from 1 to 135, followed by 4 blank leaves. We date it to circa 1720, since in his preface, the author alludes to "Robinson" and adds in a note "c'est un livre imprimé depuis quelques années d'un voyageur anglois", and the first edition of Daniel Defoe's novel appeared in English in 1719 and in French in 1720. A loose leaf, added by a descendant of Louis Robin, stencils the title "Voyage en Perse", accompanied by a note on the author. Also enclosed is an excerpt from a 1715 Amsterdam gazette, in which a paragraph refers to Louis Robin's promised and eagerly-awaited account. Provenance: Édouard Frémy (1843-1904), known as "le comte Frémy", with engraved bookplate and handwritten mention, and by descent. This manuscript was never sold in modern times, and we know of no copies.

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For sale on Friday 28 Jun : 14:00 (CEST)
amboise, France
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