Maroquin with Antoine de Sartine's coat of arms - Lot 646

Maroquin with Antoine de Sartine's coat of arms MANUSCRIT - NOTES sur l'INDE [HUGAU (Claude-Antoine)] "Nottes sur l'Inde. D'après un voyage fait pendant les années 1769, 1770, 1771, et 1772. Par Mr. Hugau, capitaine des Dragons Année 1775". Seconde et dernière Partie. [Sur les établissemens des autres nations européennes dans l'Inde, depuis le Golphe Persique au Cap Comorin. Portuguese Possessions. (then) Special notes on Carward... (then) Relation abrégée de mon voyage de détails sur l'intérieur de l'Inde]. In folio. 159 handwritten pages in fine, legible black ink. Cut-out at foot of title page. On the first page of text, in red ink, the words: "Dépôt des Voyages n°3". Contemporary red morocco, smooth ornate spine, triple gilt fillet around covers, gilt fleurons in spandrels, central gilt coat of arms, gilt roulettes on edges and inside, blue paper endpapers, gilt edges. Inscription in ink on upper board "n°18 - Descriptions Voyages - incomplet". Manuscript incomplete of its first part. This is probably the original manuscript written by Hugau on his return from India in 1775 for the Minister of the Navy, then Antoine de Sartine. The words "Dépôt des Voyages" in red ink on the first page of text refer to the "Dépôt des Voyages Scientifques" department created in 1828 at the Bibliothèque Royale. Confirming the work's origin, herewith an extract from Françoise de Valence's preface to "Voyage extraordinaire d'un capitaine de dragons chez Hyder ali Khan (1769-1772), Capitaine Hugau" (published in 2001), pp. 6-7: "Upon his return in 1775 [from India], Hugau had addressed to Monseigneur de Sartine, Minister and Secretary of State for the Navy, his 'Notes sur l'Inde d'après un voyage fait pendant les années 1769, 1770, 1771 et 1772...'" (Departure from Bordeaux in September 1769 on "Le Duc de Praslin"). Provenance: Arms of Antoine de Sartine (1729-1801), director of the bookshop from 1763 to 1774, Secretary of State for the Marine and Colonies.