Asturias - Picos de Europa - One of 50 with... - Lot 212 - Briscadieu

Asturias - Picos de Europa - One of 50 with out-of-text photographs FONTAN de NÉGRIN (Ludovic) At the Picos de Europa (Asturias). With a preface by Count Henry RUSSELL. Photographs by the Viscount d'USSEL and the author. Drawings after the author. Toulouse, Privat, 1907. In 4°: 72pp (title in red and black); illustrations in text drawn in red by J. METTEIX after the author. Edition of 200 copies, one of 50 on Hollande with the 10 photographs mounted hors texte. ½ marbled aubergine-tinted basane with corners, title and small gilt irons on spine, publisher's cream cover retained. Rare copy of the "tirage de tête" (reserved for the first 50 copies on hollande with the 10 photos) (Labarère 586). Under the same title, there is an "offprint" (of the yearbook?) of 16pp. Published in Pau, Émile Garet, 1906. Fontan published several fascicules reporting on his explorations, most of which appeared in the C.A.F. yearbook. He also provided this publication with numerous photographs. The author was born in Tarn in 1872. For the character, let's follow Beraldi: He spends his vacations in the Luchonnais. In 1900, he thinks he's doing (like Packe and Russell) the real Beciberi, but he's on the wrong summit! The following year, "Fontan did what had to be done. He's thinking of taking the Encantados". This massif was curiously spared from "firsts" in the 19th century. "Simply (because) it's not on the path". He humorously distinguished himself on Mont-Perdu in 1903: it was his eighth ascent from the north. To the Salles guide who asked him at Tuquerouye: "Are you still determined?" he replied, pointing his compass north "straight in this direction and without deviating": It's the way to Gèdre! Mistake! Mont-Perdu is to the south". Despite being held by his guide, he nearly killed himself five or six times!