One of the XX rarest Pyrenean books - Copy of Paul Mame, son - Lot 598

One of the XX rarest Pyrenean books - Copy of Paul Mame, son of the publisher TONNELLÉ (Louis Nicolas Alfred) Trois Mois dans les Pyrénées et dans le Midi en 1858. Travel journal by Alfred TONNELLÉ. Tours, Mame et Cie, 1859. In-12: 2f., 523pp. Occasional foxing. Author's autograph letter to Paul Mame. Contemporary emerald-green morocco, richly decorated ribbed spine, weakness at foot of spine, wide gilt garland on covers, double gilt fillet on edges, inner gilt lace, gilt edges. A very fine copy. A landmark book in Pyrenean history. This talented writer died on his return from his travels (he shares this sad fate with the painter J.C. NATTES, who likewise died on his return. The effect of the mountains can be as fatal as it is salutary). Add to this the intimate publication of his journey, and our author is propelled to the pinnacle of Pyrenean literature. Only the mythical "édition du gave" dethroned him, with one advantage for TONNELLÉ: it is often very well bound, which is particularly the case with this copy (Labarère 1587 - Les vingt livres pyrénéistes les plus rares n° XVIII). After this very rare first edition came BERALDI's extremely rare 1901 edition (all "Exemplaire(s) d'épreuve(s). Le tirage n'a pas été effectué"). GAZAGNE's third, from 1925, was printed in five copies in large paper reprinted in-8 and 35 in in-12 format. It was published over a period of 3 years, the notebooks being sent to friends as and when they appeared. Finally, in 1977, a final edition of impeccable quality was published by the Amis du Livre Pyrénéen, with 325 copies printed and a foreword by Louis ANGLADE and Pierre CAILLAU-LAMICQ. An excellent reprint, which does not "stand out" from its predecessors, as is often the case these days. The sale catalog of Jean SENMARTIN, a gourmet bibliophile, presented 4 copies of the original (which bordered on indigestion), one of the second (but he owned 2), two of the "GAZAGNE" edition (the said Gazagne formed with SENMARTIN and a few others a dissident group of G.D.J. called the "Petit Lourdes") and one of the last (mischievously, our bibliophile, failing to have n°1, obtained n°300). Provenance: A copy for Paul Mame, son of the famous publisher from Tours. In 1858, Alfred Tonnellé went to meet up with friends, Alfred Mame, the famous printer and publisher from Tours, and his family in the Pyrenees. As soon as he arrived, he was captivated by the country. He immediately embarked on the activity of the ordinary tourist: the traditional excursions around Luchon. But he soon went beyond the conventional itineraries, finding variations and new routes. On July 15 and 16, he climbed the Aneto (then known as the Néthou) with Alfred Mame, his son Paul, and Mr. Meauzé.