124 - [Greece]. [SAULGER, Robert. TARILLON, François].

[Greece]. [SAULGER, Robert. TARILLON, François]. A New History of the Ancient Dukes of the Archipelago Paris: Estienne Michallet, 1698. Small 12mo, (7) leaves, 404-(2) pp. Contemporary brown grain-textured calfskin, decorated ribbed spine, brown title label, gilt title (binding worn, first ff. stained, pagination error but no missing pages in the last ff.) A very rare first edition, particularly in its first printing dated 1698. Sommervogel states that he has only ever seen copies dated 1699; Quérard, however, indicates that he has seen an edition dated 1698: “What we can affirm is that we have held in our hands a copy belonging to the King’s Library, and that it is indeed from 1678 [sic; most likely a typographical error for 1698].” For a long time, this work remained one of the few sources devoted to the history of the Duchy of Naxos in the Cyclades archipelago. Compiled by Father Robert Saulger (1637–1709), superior of the Jesuit monastery in Naxos, and published by Father François Tarillon, it is dedicated to the Count of Maurepas, the future Chancellor of Pontchartrain. Early handwritten annotation by R.P. [Sange], a Jesuit, on the front endpaper. Early handwritten annotation at the end of the book. Early library label with gilt edges. Sommervogel, VII, 658. Quérard, VIII, 467.