{"product_id":"manuscript-persia-armenia-histoire-de-lambassade-faite-en-perse-par-monsieur-fabre-et-monsieur-michel-envoyez-extraordinaires-pendans-les-annees-1705-1706-1707-1708-et-1709","title":"Histoire de l’ambassade faite en Perse par monsieur Fabre et monsieur Michel envoyez extraordinaires pendans les années 1705, 1706, 1707, 1708 et 1709…","description":"\u003cp\u003eTwo parts in one volume, 4to, contemporary speckled Havana calf, spine with five raised bands, red morocco title label, and compartments decorated in gilt, red edges (defects including worn and scuffed boards, partial splitting to joints; some browning and minor staining, not affecting legibility).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAn exceptional and unpublished manuscript, very likely autograph, offering a new account of the extraordinary and turbulent history of the embassy sent to Persia by Louis XIV.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLed by a Marseille merchant and adventurer, Jean-Baptiste Fabre, the delegation travelled from 1705 to 1709 and faced an unending series of misfortunes. Much of the blame for these troubles was laid on Fabre’s companion, a certain Marie Petit, whose allegedly inappropriate behavior was said to have caused internal discord among the members of the mission and strained relations with local authorities along the route. Fabre died en route, in Yerevan, and the embassy was subsequently taken over by Pierre Victor Michel, a secretary dispatched from Constantinople.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis manuscript contains the account written by one Louis Robin, about whom almost nothing is known, except that he participated in the expedition, likely as a surgeon or physician. A careful reading of the text may reveal more about him. What is clear, however, is that he intends to present his own version of the events and writes with marked hostility toward Marie Petit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYet the true value of this manuscript lies beyond these personal accusations: Robin provides an extraordinarily detailed record of the journey’s itineraries and the regions crossed, and offers a vivid, firsthand account of the peoples encountered, including “some particularities regarding the Turks, Arabs, Yezidis, Sabeans, Maronites, and Armenians.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe manuscript\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe manuscript is written entirely in the same hand, which we believe to be that of the author, who signs the introduction. The writing is fine and meticulous, with numerous corrections and strikethroughs throughout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt consists of [4] leaves (a half-title reading \u003cem\u003e“Anecdotes de l’ambassade en Perse”\u003c\/em\u003e, a title page, and 3 pages of preface), followed by a first part paginated 1–138; [3] blank leaves; [1] leaf with the title of the second part, then the second part paginated 1–135, and 4 final blank leaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDating the manuscript\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe date the composition to around 1720, as the preface refers to “Robinson” and notes: “a book printed a few years ago by an English traveler.” The first English edition of Daniel Defoe’s \u003cem\u003eRobinson Crusoe\u003c\/em\u003e appeared in 1719, and the French translation in 1720.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA loose leaf, added by a descendant of Louis Robin, bears a stenciled title \u003cem\u003e“Voyage en Perse”\u003c\/em\u003e, along with a short biographical note on the author.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlso included is an excerpt from a 1715 \u003cem\u003eGazette of Amsterdam\u003c\/em\u003e, which mentions the forthcoming account by Louis Robin, eagerly awaited by readers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eÉdouard Frémy (1843–1904), known as “Comte Frémy,” with engraved bookplate and handwritten ownership note, and by descent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis manuscript has never appeared on the market in modern times, and no other copy is known to exist.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"[Manuscript. Persia, Armenia].","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58875438203215,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1031\/7751\/9439\/files\/MANUSCRIT-VOYAGE-EN-PERSE_09-copie.jpg?v=1790269979","url":"https:\/\/rare-books-revival-ni470-ssjtnv03.myshopify.com\/products\/manuscript-persia-armenia-histoire-de-lambassade-faite-en-perse-par-monsieur-fabre-et-monsieur-michel-envoyez-extraordinaires-pendans-les-annees-1705-1706-1707-1708-et-1709","provider":"rare-books-revival-ni470","version":"1.0","type":"link"}