Most 8vo, in leather, cloth &/or boards. Some illustrated. There are 3 multi-volume titles, for a total of 32 individual volumes.
The lot includes 14 items published in these Mascarene islands in the 19th century (rarely seen in the trade or at auction and owned by few institutions). Among these items are the first book published after the British annexation of the French colony, which included contributions in both English and French (Keepsake Mauricien, 1839); a rare copy of Choses de Bourbon by Alphonse Gaud (“Pooka”) from the private library of Theodore Sauzier (as are several other volumes in the collection), a natural historian who also assembled one of the first libraries on the islands); two volumes by Charles Leal (Grand Port a Vol D’oiseau and Un Voyage a la Reunion, with copies found only in the Bibliotheque Nationale de France and the National Library of Australia); two political tracts by Evariste Vanmeerbeck, prolific commentator on social and political issues in the islands (not found at all in WorldCat), etc.
Additionally, there are 13 items published in Paris, London and Nantes, which include Les Salaziennes by Auguste Lacaussade (Nantes,1839), the first important work of literature written by a native of the island group. Also, volumes of travel to the islands, among them Voyage a L’Isle de France, L’Isle de Bourbon (Amsterdam and Paris, 1773); a copy of Mauritius, or the Isle of France (London, 1863) inscribed by the author Francis Flemyng; and a volume (Voyage Pittoresque a L’ile de France, Paris 1812) from the library of Captain Charles Baudin.
In the case of many of the Mascarene Island imprints in the collection, the chief bibliographer of Mauritius, Dr. Auguste Toussaint (Early Printing in the Mascarene Islands; Bibliography of Mauritius,1502-1954), was unable to examine first-hand due to their scarcity, and he had to rely on second-hand information (such as the quarterly Memoranda of Books printed in Mauritius and registered in the Archives Department).
Provenance: The Estate of Christian de Guigne IV.
Complete listing of Mauritius collection
1. Lacaussade, Auguste. Les Salaziennes. Paris, 1839, J.P. Aillaud, Libraire. First Edition. Auguste Laucaussade (1815–1897) was born on the French Indian Ocean possession of Bourbon, later named Ile de la Réunion, which was a slave colony until 1848. The poet’s mother, a freed slave, and his white father, a lawyer whose family was from Bourdeaux, were unable to marry due to the island’s ban on mixed marriage. Refused entry into Royal College/Bourbon College because of his illegitimacy, Lacaussade was sent to school in Nantes, France, from 1827 through 1834, and later studied medicine in Paris, dropping out in 1839 to focus on writing poetry. Lacaussade published his first volume of poems in 1839, Les Salaziennes, named after one of the island’s mountains and dedicated to Victor Hugo, one of the most prominent young French authors. Poèmes et Paysages followed in 1852 and Les Épaves in 1861.
8vo. Bound in three-quarter gilt-stamped brown leather with five raised spine bands and marbled boards. Marbled endpapers. 288 pages. A hand-written note tipped in on the front pastedown: Very Good condition.
Not in Toussaint although his work “Poemes et Paysages” Paris 1852 is (D 826). According to a hand-written note tipped in on the front pastedown, only two poems in this collection were reprinted (in “Poemes and Paysages”), those being “Bonsoir” (p. 99) and “Les Cloches du Soir” (p. 143).
2. Leal, Charles. H. Grand Port a Vol D’oiseau. Maurice, 1865, E. Dupuy et P. Dubois.
First Edition. Directory to the Offices and Inhabitants of Mauritius. One Copy in the Bibliotheque Nationale de France; One Copy in the National Library of Australia.
17 cm. Rebound in blue gilt-stamped half leather and marbled boards. 56 pages; 2 folding maps (one in color). Marbled endpapers. Scuffs to the extremities of the boards; else Very Good.
A. Toussaint. A Bibliography of Mauritius. (A 793).
3. Leal, Charles H. Un Voyage a la Reunion: Recits, Souvenirs et Anecdotes Septembre 1877. Maurice, 1878, General Steam Printing Company, Rue de Gouvernement.
First Edition. V. Scarce. One Copy in the Bibliotheque Nationale de France; One Copy in the National Library of Australia.
8vo. Rebound in blue gilt-stamped half leather and marbled boards. Marbled endpapers. 280 pages. Full page map. Scuffs to the boards. Else Very Good. Dedicated to Lady Barker.
A. Toussaint (A 935).
4. Lebel, Jules. Flore Poetique. Saint-Denis (Reunion), 1875, Imprimerie Typographique A. Lefort (33, Rue Labourdonnais).
First Edition. 5 ¼” x 8 ½”. Rebound in brown gilt-stamped half leather (with five raised spine band) and marbled boards and marbled endpapers. Very Good.
152 Pages. Toussaint A 901. One copy found in the Bibliotheque Nationale de France.
5. Nelly-Robert, H. (pseudonym Henri Robert). Cousine Aux Pieds Nus. Maurice, 1884, typ. De Merchants and Planters Gazette.
First Edition. 5” x 7 ¼”. Rebound in green gilt-stamped half-leather with five raised spine bands and gilt decorations. Marbled boards and endpapers. Very Good
One copy found at the University of Santa Barbara (CA). A. Toussaint (A1017).
6. Vanmeerbeck, Evariste. Critiques de la Politique Actuelle sur les Bases de la Philosophie. Maurice, 1872, Imprimerie du “Commercial Gazette”.
First Edition. 6 ½” x 10”. 60 pp. Rebound in green half-leather with marbled boards. Original wrappers sewn in. Spine and boards quite worn.
Vanmeerbeck published a number of works (6 found in Toussaint) commenting on social, political and economic conditions in the islands. World Catalog shows two titles, neither of which are the titles on offer here.
V. Scarce. Not noted in World Catalog. Toussaint A 861.
7. Guibert, Julius. G.B. Colin, C.M.G (Gustave Barthelemy Colin). Maurice, 1878, Imprimiere du Journal “Le Pays”
First Edition. 5 ½” x 8 ½”. Rebound in gilt-stamped buckram (rear wrapper sewn in). 24 pages. Very Good.
V. Scarce. Not noted in World Catalog. Toussaint A 933.
8. Husson, Hyacinthe. and Others. Keepsake Mauricien (Mauritius Keepsake). Port-Louis, Ile Maurice 1839. Publishing information not given.
First Edition. Rebound in 3/4 green gilt-stamped leather. Moderate wear to extremities. An institutional library stamp above the table of contents (Bibliotheque du Musee des Colonies de la France Exterieure)
Two copies located (Bibliotheque Nationale de France; National Library of Australia. 340 pages. Toussaint A 544.
A collection, some in English, some in French, of prose and poetry, published 29 years after the British annexed and renamed Mauritius. A handwritten note describes the collection as the first work published in the island group that reflects a new spirit in the culture (a quote attributed to M. Louis Bouton, a prolific Mauritian botanist (whose many works are quite rare), author of Histoire des Plantes Medicinales de Maurice tipped in). This was the first book published on Mauritius with British and French authors collected together. Prior to this publication, only three items were printed on Mauritius in the English language. Two gift inscriptions, each passing the book along, “a amis bibliophile”; owners unidentified.
9. Vanmeerbeck, Evariste. Du Droit A L’Existence et Considerations Rapides sur les Lois de la Production. Port-Louis, Maurice, 1868, Imprimerie de la “Sentinel de Maurice”.
First Edition. Rebound in gilt-stamped green buckram. 32 pages. Very Good.
Quite Scarce. Not Found in the World Catalog. Toussaint A 825.
10. Thompson, James. Les Saisons: Poeme, Traduit en vers Francais, par Ad.de la Houge.
Maurice, 1880, Typographie de la “Sentinelle de Maurice”. 206 pages.
First Edition thus. Rebound in gilt-stamped half-leather with five raised spine bands and marbled boards. Lacks title page. Bibliographic entered on first page. Else Very Good.
Widely read poems from this Scottish writer first published in Mauritius here.
Toussaint. A 969.
11. Hewetson, William. La Maladie de la Canne: La Culture et Les Engrais a Maurice.
Port-Louis, Maurice 1874, Imprimiere a Vapeur du Commercial Gazette.
First Edition. Rebound in gilt-stamped green half-leather with marbled boards. Original wrappers bound in. 55 pages. Toussaint A 882.
V. Scarce. One copy found in the National Library of Australia.
12. Azema, M. Georges Histoire de L’Ile Bourbon: Depuis 1645 Jusqu’au 20 Decembre 1848. Paris, 1859, Henri Plon, Imprimeur-Editeur. 360 pages.
First Edition. Bound in gilt-stamped maroon half-leather with five raised spines and marbled boards and endpapers. Very Good.
A. Toussaint. D77.
13. Unienville, M. C.A. Marrier, le Baron d’ ( Archiviste Colonial de L’Ile Maurice). Statistique de L’Ile Maurice et ses Dependances, suivie D’une Notice Historique sur Cette Colonie et D’Un Essai sur L’Ile de Madagascar (Ornee de 74 Tableaux, Dresses avec le plus Grand Sois, pour L’Intelligence du Texte. Paris, 1838, Gustave Barba, Libraire.
First Edition. 3 Volumes. (The second edition published in Mauritius in 1885-86 Toussaint A 1040).
Three volumes. Uniformly bound in half-leather with five raised spine bands and gilt-stampings. Marbled boards and endpapers. Wear to the corners; some foxing. Toussaint D 1545.
14. Flemyng, Francis, Rev. M.A. F.R.G.S. Mauritius, or The Isle of France: Being an Account of the Island, Its History, Geography, Products , and Inhabitants.
London, 1862, Society For Promoting Christian Knowledge.
First Edition. Small Octave (4 ½” x 6 ½”). 256 pages. Folding Color Map.
This copy is INSCRIBED by the Author to a Thomas Watson.
Original blue gilt-stamped cloth. Very Good. Toussaint D 561.
15. Notices Statistiques sur Les Colonies Francaises Imprimees par Ordre de M. Le Vice-Amiral de Rosamel, Ministre Secretaire D’Etat de La Marine et Des Colonies.
Paris, 1837, Imprimerie Royale. 2 Volumes. Volume 1 (248 pages) comprises reports on French Colonies of Martinique and La Guadeloupe. Volume 2 (271 pages) contains 140 pages devoted to the L’ile de Bourbon.
First Edition. Octavos. Bound in half-leather with gilt-stamped spines and titles in red leather labels. Marbled boards and endpapers. Wear to the leather spines. Sound binding.
16. Pajot, Elie. Simples Renseignements sur L’Ile Bourbon. Saint-Denis, L’Ile Bourbon, 1878, Imprimerie A, Damotte.
First Edition. 6” x 9 ¼”. 244 pages. Rebound in half-leather with a gilt-stamped spine with five raised bands. Marbled boards and endpapers. Newspaper article on Elie Pajot tipped in on the front pastedown. Handwritten annotation on last blank page.
17. Cremazy, Seraphin. Meis Rapugos: Pouesios Provencalos. Ilo Bourboun, Janvier 1863, Publisher not given.
First Edition. 5” x 8 ¼”. 136 pages, Rebound in half-leather with gilt spine stampings and marbled boards and endpapers. Original salmon wrappers bound in. Very Good.
18. Eudel, Paul. Souvenis de Voyage Ile de la Reunion. Etudes Pittoresques sur le Quartier Saint-Pierre. Nantes, 1864, V. Mellinet, Imprimeur de la Societe Academique.
First Edition. 5 ¾” x 9”. 79 pages. Rebound in half-leather with blue marbled boards.
Scarce. 2 copies in library holdings (Bibliotheque Nationale de France and Universite de la Reunion).
19. Bernardin de Saint-Pierre (Jacques Henri). Voyage a L’Isle de France, a L’Isle de Bourbon, au Cap de Bonne-Esperance, &c. avec des Observations Nouvelles sur la Nature & sur les Hommes, par Un Officier du Roi.
First edition. 2 Volumes. Amsterdam and Paris, 1773, Chez Merlin, Libraire.
. 2 vols. 8vo. 1 engraved frontispiece, 5 folding plates (3 folding), 8 folding text pages (Instructions nautiques) between pp. 100-101 of 1st vol. Contemporary full calf. First edition of this account by Bernardin de Saint-Pierre (1737-1814), famous French writer, of the three years he spent in Mauritius as an engineer. The work provides interesting information on the geography, the natural history and the sociology of the island. Fine copy of this nicely illustrated work.
Toussaint D 1404.
20. Bernardin de Saint-Pierre (Jacques Henri). A Voyage to the Isle of France, The Isle of Bourbon and the Cape of Good Hope with Observations and Reflections Upon Nature and Mankind To Which is Added Some Account of the Author. London, 1800, J. Cundee.
Second Edition of the above work in English (abridged from the French edition). 334 pages. Octavo. Full polished calf with gilt-stamped leather spine labels.
21. D’Avezac-Macaya, M.A.P. d’ d’ ors. Iles de L’Afrique. Paris, 1848, Firmin Didot Freres, Editeurs.
First Edition. Octavo. Two volumes bound in one. Volume 1 (191 pages). Volume 2 (179 pages). Additionally 69 pages of engraved plates.
Contents: Îles africaines de la Méditerranée - Vues generale de la Méditerranée. Îlots du littoral lybien, les Syrtiques, Îles Pélagiennes. Malte et le Goze. Ancienne traditions de l'océan Atlantique. Archipel des Açores, Archipel de Madère, Archipel des Canaries, Iles du Cap-Vert, Archipel de Guinée, les Sporades de l'Atlantique (Sainte-Hélène) . Îles africaines de la Mer des Indes : Madagascar, Bourbon et Maurice, Rodrigues, Galéga, les Séchelles, les Almirante, Îles Arabes, Îles de la Mer Érythrée .
Contemporary Decorative Cloth with Gilt stampings. Very Good.
Toussaint D 77.
22. Bory de Saint Vincent, Jean Baptiste Genevieve Marcellin. Voyage to and Travels Through the Four Principal Islands of the African Seas, Performed by Order of the French Government During the Years 1801 and 1802, with the Narrative of The Passage of Captain Baudin to Port Louis in the Mauritius. London, 1805, Richard Phillips.
First English Edition after the French edition of 1804. Octavo. 212 pages.
Toussaint D 183.
23. Du Quesne, Le Marquis Henri du. Un Projet de Republique a L’Ile D’Eden (L’Ile Bourbon) en 1689. (Reimpression d’un ouvrage disparu, publie en 1689, intitule: Recueil de Quelques Memoires Servans D’Instruction Pour L’Etablissement de L’Ile D’Eden). Precede D’Une Notice par Th. Sauzier.
Paris, 1887, Librairie Ancienne & Moderne de E. Dufosse.
First edition of this reissue of the Amsterdam edition of 1689 with a 54 page essay by Theodore Sauzier (author of works on Mauritian numismatics and the giant tortoise of the Mascarene Islands.. 6” x 9”. Rebound in three-quarter gilt-stamped leather (with original wrappers bound in). Five raised bands on the spine. A few pencil underlinings in the text, else Very Good.
Not in Toussaint.
24. Pooka. (Pseudonym Alphonse Gaud). Choses de Bourbon. Port-Louis, Mauritus, 1888, Imp. Du Journal de Maurice.
First Edition. Rebound in three-quarter leather with marbled boards and endpapers. 3071 pages. Very good condition.
One copy located in the World Catalog, in the National Library of Australia. NOT in the Bibliotheque Nationale de France. This copy possibly inscribed by Alphonse Gaud to Theodore Sauzier (see Toussaint D 1419; D 1420; D 1421 and D 1422), with an accompanying note written in the Author’s hand..
Toussaint. A 1082.
25, Milbert, Jacques Gerard. Voyage Pittoresque a l’Ile de France, au Cap de Bonne Esperance et a l’Ile de Tenerife. Paris, 1812, A. Nepveu. PLEASE NOTE: This is volume 2 (of a two volume set with accompanying atlas). This volume deals with the voyage to the Isle de France.
First Edition. Original calf binding. Very Good. Pp. Folding Chart
This copy was the personal copy of Captain Charles Baudin and has his signature at the head of the title page. (“Capt. Ches. Baudin”).
Charles Baudin was born on 21st July 1784 in Paris ; his father had served in the Convention (Baudin des Ardennes). As he had Bonaparte’s protection, he was able to go into the Navy in 1799. From 1800 to 1803, he took part in an expedition to the South Pacific under captain Nicolas Baudin (who was not of the same family). He then served in the West Indies, based in the Ile de France (the Mauritius), on board the frigate la Piémontaise and later the Sémillante, on which he was badly wounded in 1808 while engaging in combat with the English frigate the Tepsichore.
Toussaint D 1100.
26. Desjardins. G; et Jalabert, Ernest; et Le Roy, Edouard. Evenements de L’Ile de la Reunion. Paris, 1869, Librairie de Dubuisson.
Second Edition. Rebound in half-leather with gilt-stampings on the spine. Marbled boards and endpapers. Original wrappers sewn in. 145 pp.
Not in Toussaint.
27. Keller, Conrad. Madagascar, Mauritius and the Other East African Islands. (Trans. By H.A. Nesbitt). London, 1901, S.Sonnenschein. 242 pages; illustrated; maps.
(Mauritius, p. 189-196; Rodriguez, p. 197-199).
First Edition. Original cloth. A Very Good copy.
28. Laroche, Benjamin. Histoire de L’Abolition de Esclavage dans Les Colonies Francaises: Premiere Partie Ile de La Reunion. Paris, 1851 Typ. De Firmin Didot Freres.
First Edition. Rebound in gilt-stamped buckram with the original wrappers sewn in.
96 pp.
Not in Toussaint.