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an old book with a picture of a man holding a swordan old book with a drawing of a pirate ship in the ocean
ALDE

49 - GOMBERVILLE (Marin LE ROY, Sieur de).
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Estimate €1,000 - €1,200
Sale commission
Description
GOMBERVILLE (Marin LE ROY, Sieur de). The First (Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Final) Part of *Polexandre*, revised, amended and expanded in this latest edition. Paris, Augustin Courbé, 1645. 5 volumes in-8, ivory vellum with title and volume number labels in brown morocco added to the spines at a later date (contemporary binding). Frontispiece, title page with vignette, 6 ff., 983 pp. (7 pp.) – Title page with vignette, 14 unnumbered folios (dedication to Richelieu), 1034 pp., 3 folios. – Frontispiece, title page with vignette, 8 folios, 948 pp., 3 folios. – Frontispiece, title page with vignette, 14 unnumbered folios, 722 pp., 3 folios. – Frontispiece, title page with vignette, 6 unnumbered folios, 673 pp., (5 pp.). A new edition of this novel, which was originally published by T. du Bray between 1632 and 1637. “From the moment it appeared, *Polexandre* enjoyed enormous success and placed Gomberville on a par with d’Urfé, Mademoiselle de Scudéry and La Calprenède. This success is easily explained by the distinctive nature of the subject matter and the choice of setting. The greater part of the novel is in fact set in a foreign, unknown land about which marvellous tales were told: Mexico. To satisfy his readers’ curiosity and to paint a picture of this distant land that was relatively accurate, Gomberville drew on the accounts of all manner of travellers, pored over the most authoritative reports, and incorporated all the information he had gathered into his narrative.” Illustrated with 4 frontispieces by Abraham Bosse (out of 5); the one for Volume 2 is missing. Several leaves in Volume 2 have been restored. De Backer 812 – Lever 347 (1632 edition).
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About the sale Xavier de Planhol Library – The Origins of the Novel
Auction location
Auction time 09/30/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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