Description

1639 Histoire de la ville et comté de Valentiennes, a detailed look at the French province and city of Valenciennes by the Governor and Historian of the city, Henri d'Outreman. This history of his hometown initially remained unprinted, but in 1639 his son Pierre delivered a posthumous and supplemented edition. Henri's nephew Antoine d'Outreman, Abbot of St. John's Abbey in Valenciennes, provided a biographical sketch of the author on the occasion of this publication. With a frontis, portrait of the author, and map of Valenciennes. Printed by the widow of Marc Wyon, Marie Vanderpiet Wyon. The 1/2 title page reveals the signature of "Jacques Robert Watier a Valenciennes". A 1715 record "Magistrat Renouvele" records Jacques-Robert Watier. (p. 177, Valenciennes au XVIIIe Siecle, Loridan, 1913). A Filae.com entry records that Jacques Robert Watier was an Alderman of Valenciennes (from a January 5th, 1753 marriage certificate of his son, Louis Joseph Watier). Bibliographic Details - Worldcat OCLC catalogue number 62206939, 493082425, among others. Physical Attributes - Measures approx. 31 x 20 x 5 cm. Quarto. Leather binding, likely 19th century. Boards with rich rolls and frames of tooling in blind. Spine with five raised bands; five compartments with a central floret in blind, one compartment with the title and author in gilt on black morocco. All edges red. Frontis, printer's mark (delightful expression of the Golden Phoenix), portrait of the author and map. The map was commonly a fold-out, but in this copy it is bound in as a two-page map extending from verso to recto. Pages - 1/2 title, frontis, i-xxx, privilege, map, 1-244, 3 leaves of genealogie, 2nd part title page, 245-588, [48], (1 - blank leaf). Collation - a-b4, c6, d2, A-Gg4, Hh2, 3 leaves of genealogy, Ii-Kkkk4, Llll6 (last blank) Condition - See pictures. 19th century binding with wear around edges, corners and joints. Several tiny spots of paint at bottom of front board. One worm hole at fore-edge. Worm tracks on book seller ticket, pastedown, and facing flyleaf. Single wormhole near fore-edge goes from front to page 40. 1/2 title page and frontis laid on paper. 1/2 title with ex libris signature at top. Frontis with a piece missing near gutter (see picture). Top of title page repaired. Some toning and thumbing throughout. Occasional fox spot, dog-eared page, candle ember spot, etc. throughout. Moisture mark at bottom corner page xi to 13. 2" tear from bottom edge xvii. Fold-out map mounted at center and bound, several spots and strengthened at fore-edges and gutter. Some pages toned more than others. Genealogie with moisture mark at from top and notes. 2 cm hole in top-edge margin 245. 4" repair fore-edge of 327. Spot fore-edge margin 349. A little darker toning at rear and some moisture marks right at edges, light.