One of the XX rarest Pyrenean books - Copy of Henri Beraldi - Lot 457

One of the XX rarest Pyrenean books - Copy of Henri Beraldi [MOREAU (Adolphe)] Eaux-Bonnes and Eaux-Chaudes. Baths and Races. Itinéraire de Pau à ces Etablissements par un Touriste. Pau, Vignancour, June 1841. In 12: 304pp; one folding map by LAHORE as frontispiece, 5 lithographed plates by CARPENTER, one double sheet of music (Romance de Despourrins). ½ red calf with filleted corners signed LEMARDELEY, spine ribbed and decorated, slight rubbing to the spines. A good copy in contemporary binding. Very rare and highly sought-after first edition (Labarère 1074 - Les vingt livres pyrénéistes les plus rares, n° XI). All bibliophiles are familiar with the third edition of 1869 by Hachette or Fontaine, illustrated with woodcuts ("Pau, Eaux-Bonnes, Eaux-Chaudes ; Bains, Séjour, Excursions."); few have in their possession the fine second of 1844 with etchings ("Itinéraire de Pau aux Eaux-Bonnes et aux Eaux-Chaudes, par un touriste"), and those who proudly display this original can be counted on the fingers of 2 hands. The illustration in this edition is very different from the next two. For the third edition, Adolphe MOREAU père added a collaborator: Adolphe MOREAU fils. Bibliophiles should note the presence in the first 2 editions of a romance by DESPOURRINS on a double sheet of out-of-text music entitled "Lou beryé malurous", identical for both editions, not mentioned in the Bibliographie Pyrénéiste and which, after checking a few copies, sometimes seems to be missing. Provenance: Copy from the library of Henri Beraldi with his printed bookplate (note (and correct) that Labarère announces in his work "Les vingt livres pyrénéistes les plus rares" the copy of Beraldi signed by Lemardeley in½ maroquin rouge à coins, but it must be noted that it is in red calf).