265 - [REGIONALISM]. DECHRISTÉ, Louis. Memories of a Man from Douai in the Parish of Wios Saint-Albin. With Beautiful Illustrations. A Historical Sketch in the Douai Dialect.

[REGIONALISM]. DECHRISTÉ, Louis. Memories of a Man from Douai in the Parish of Wios Saint-Albin. With Beautiful Illustrations. A Historical Sketch in the Douai Dialect. A rare first edition of these historical and picturesque chronicles of the city of Douai, written in the local dialect and illustrated with two engraved frontispieces. Douai, Adam d’Aubers, June 1857. 2 volumes in 1 in-8 volume, brown morocco-bound half-shagreen, spine with 4 broad blind-stamped false ribs, title in gilt letters, endpapers and inner covers of marbled paper viii, 266 pp. followed by 285 pp., 2 engraved frontispieces, a few vignettes as end-paper illustrations. Binding scuffed, scattered foxing. Illustrated first edition of this collection of historical chronicles written in the Douaisian patois (a Picard dialect of Douai) by Louis Dechristé (1818–1896). In it, the author humorously paints a picture of local customs, neighborhood festivals (the Saint-Albin Street Festival, the June Fair, the Pimperlots Procession), traditional games, and folk traditions centered on the mythical figure of the giant Gayant. A fine copy of this rare title.