Rare books from ARTEM

Almanac from the first printing press in the Arab world
Annuaire de la République Française, calculé pour le méridien du Kaire, l'an IX de l'ère Française.
Cairo, de l'Imprimerie Nationale, an IX [1800/1801].
4⁰. 1-58, [4], 61- 68 pp., [2], 48 pp. With a woodcut printer's device on title.
Contemporary blank paper covers.
One of the first books from the first printing press in the Arab World. The issues from the Imprimerie Nationale are true incunabula of Arab printing and all are very rare. The press lasted only until 1801.
The Imprimerie Nationale was set up when Napoleon traveled to Egypt in 1798: "an extraordinarily important turning point" (Glass & Roper). The French Republic aimed to bring progress wherever they arrived. In the case of Egypt this permanently changed the Arab World. Progress was predominantly expressed in administrative reform, of which the present almanac is typical product. It was crucial for an almanac (Annuaire) to appear at the new press as soon as possible because… Read More

The rarest book from the first printing press in the Arab World
Annuaire de la République Française, calculé pour le méridien du Kaire, l'an VIII de l'ere Française.
Cairo, de l'Imprimerie Nationale, an VIII [1799/1800].
4⁰. 119 pp. With a woodcut printer's device on title. Contemporary red painted paper wrappers.
One of the first books from the first printing press in the Arab World. The first issues from the Imprimerie Nationale are true incunabula of Arab printing and all are very rare. Most elusive amongst these is the present first almanac. We traced no copies in Arab or American libraries. The press lasted only until 1801.
The Imprimerie Nationale was set up when Napoleon traveled to Egypt in 1798: "an extraordinarily important turning point" (Glass & Roper). The French Republic aimed to bring progress wherever they arrived. In the case of Egypt this permanently changed the Arab World. Progress was predominantly expressed in administrative reform, of which the present almanac is typical… Read More

With all folding maps finely handcolouredBiblia, dat is de gantsche H. Schrifture, vervattende alle de canonijcke boecken des Ouden en des Nieuwen Testaments.
Dordrecht, (colophon: printed by) H. and J. Keur and Amsterdam, M. Doornick in compagnie, 1686.
Elephant folio. [20], 302, [2] 134, [11], 164, [2], 66 ff. With 6 folding handcoloured engraved plates (complete) and an engraved title-page.
Contemporary blind-tooled calf with complete copper fittings. Modern calf spine.
Beautifully illustrated copy of the 1686 Dutch "Keur" Bible edition, the standard Bible of the Dutch Reformed Church, corresponding to Luther's version in Germany and King James' Bible in England. This copy with all 6 folding maps nicely contemporary handcoloured, clean and crisp. The plates by Bastiaen Stoopendaal (1637-1707) depict respectively the world (with America and Australia still incomplete); "Paradise" i.e. the Middle East; The Journey of the Children of Israel (Sinai Peninsula and Israel region); city plan of Jerusalem;… Read More

• Extremely rare, important and early work on East Africa and the East Indies • João dos Santos (Évora, after 1560 - Goa, 1622).
Ethiopia Oriental e varia historia de cousas notaveis do Oriente.
[Including:]
Varia historia de cousas notaveis do Oriente. E da christandade que os religiosos da Ordem dos pregadores nelle fizerāo
Évora, (colophon vol. 2: Impresso no Convento de S. Domingos de Evora), Manoel de Lyra, 1609 (colophon vol. 2: printed in 1608).
2 volumes in 1. 8°. [8], 140; [3, 1 blank], 123 ll. (index bound after title in vol. 2). Collates: [pi]6, 2[pi]2, A-R8, S4; A, Q4-Q6 [= index], A2-A8, B-P8, Q3 (complete).
Vol. 1 with an engraved title-page depicting a female figure seated on a crocodile (dragon?), an elephant, a palm tree, a lion and a church in a landscape, surrounded by an architectural border with the image of Saint Dominic in a cartouche at the top. Signed Bras Nunes Fecit; vol. 2 with the title-page in a woodcut architectural border with two caryatids and an inset… Read More

***The second book ever printed in Catania, Sicily***


Giuseppe Cumia (1531-1593).

De successione feudalium repetitio seu commentarij, nunc primum in lucem aediti.

Catania, apud eundem authorem, 1563 (colophon: Catinae, impressorum defectu idem author impressit,1563).



Folio in 6s. [4], 452 pp. Collation: [π]⁶A-2O⁶ = complete (matches copy Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Roma).

Contemporary limp vellum with ink title on spine.



First edition of an important legal work by Sicilian jurist Giuseppe Cumia, printed by himself at his legendary press. A recent study recorded only 17 copies of the 4 editions that were published from Cumia's press (see Aiello 2020).
There was no printing press in Catania, there never had been until Cumia set one up in his house. He spent almost all of his life in Catania, first as a law student, then as a teacher and scholar of law. In 1562 he travelled to Messina to have a collection of his poetry published at the Spira printing house, but when the owner died… Read More

Amongst the greatest histories of the New World
This copy a rare complete second edition


Antonio Herrera de Tordesillas (1549-1626).

Primera parte de la historia general del Mundo, de XVII. años del tiempo del señor Rey don Felipe II. el Prudente, desde el año de M.D.LIII. hasta el de M.D.LXX.

Valladolid, Juan Godinez de Millis, 1606 (colophon: Valladolid, Juan Godinez de Millis, 1605).
4° in 8s. [8], 820, [42] pp. Collates: x4, A-2Z8, 3A-3B6, x-2x8, 3x4.

[includes:]

Segunda parte de la historia general del Mundo, de XV. años del tiempo del señor Rey don Felipe II. el Prudente, desde el año de M.D.LXXI. hasta el de M.D.LXXXV.

Valladolid, [Juan Godinez de Millis], 1606 (colophon: Valladolid, Juan Godinez de Millis, 1605).
4° in 8s. [6], 630, [2 blank], [38] pp. Collates: π3, A-2Q8, 2R, π-3π3, [1 blank].

[includes:]

Tercera parte de la historia general del Mundo, de XIIII. años del tiempo del señor Rey don Felipe II. el prudente, desde el año de 1585. hasta el de 1598. que passò… Read More

Founding Royal ordinance for the Corps of Invalids of New Spain
Antonio Maria Bucareli y Ursua (1717-1779, Viceroy of New Spain).
Reglamento formado para el cuerpo de invalidos de Nueva España por el Excmo. Sr. Bailio Fr. D. Antonio Maria Bucareli y Ursua Virrey Governador y Capitan General de ella, aprobado por S. M. en Real Orden de trece de Junio de 1773.
Mexico City, Joseph Antonio de Hogal, 1774.
Folio. [2], 19, [1 blank] pp. Collates: π, A-D2, π.
With the woodcut Royal coat of arms on the title. Signature of Viceroy Bucareli in ink on the final page.
Modern stiff marbled paper covers, leaves remargined in order to match the size of the volume. In linen made-to-measure case with title on front.
Very rare first and only edition of the founding document for the establishment of the Corps of Invalids in the Viceroyalty of New Spain. This Royal ordinance marks a crucial step in the military organisation of the Spanish Americas and greatly expanded the colonial military presence there.The Cuerpo de… Read More

Founding document and constitution of the Republic of Colombia
Simón Bolívar (1783-1830).
Constitucion de la Republica de Colombia.
Rosario de Cucuta [but Bogotá], Bruno Espinosa, Impresor de Gob. Gral., 1821.- 11°.
4°. 66 pp. (lacks V pp. preliminaries). Collates: π, B-I4, [K1].
Later half calf with decorated paper sides.
First edition of the first constitution of Gran Colombia, known as the Constitution of Cúcuta. A monument of post-colonial liberty and arguably the most important book ever printed in Latin America. Gran Colombia consisted of current Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, northern Peru, western Guyana and northwest Brazil. This is one of the very few copies that were printed of the first edition. A decree in this volume prints the order to reprint the constitution at Bogota in two or three thousand copies and to print one thousand copies of a Caracas edition. Rio and Philadelphia would also print editions in 1822.The publication of this document meant the realization of Simón… Read More

Royal colonial decree to improve the vital gunpowder production in New Spain
José de Gálvez y Gallardo (1720-1787); Marques Carlos Francisco de Croix (1699-1786).
Ordenanzas de la Real renta de la polvora para este Reyno de Nueva España, y Provincias de su comprension, que se administra de cuenta de su Magestad.
Reimpresas en Mexico, en la Imprenta Nueva Madrileña de Don Felipe de Zuñiga y Ontiveros, 1777.
Folio. [II], 40 pp. With an attractive etched Royal Spanish coat of arms on the title, signed "Naxera Ft." and a woodblock capital letter.
Modern stiff marbled paper covers, in linen made-to-measure case with title on front.
First edition of the second Royal decree on the production of gunpowder in Nueva España. The decree provides instruction and ordinance for the Real Fabrica de Pólvora and contains LVII articles. Among them, one is dedicated to "Indios para los trabajos de la Fábrica", in which forced labour is decreed upon the inhabitants of the factory's surrounding villages. Refusal of… Read More

Large VOC watercolour view of Porto Praia, Cape Verde
Johann Christian Friderici [= Frederici] (Heldburg 1766 - Cape Town 1804).
Prospect van het eyland, en de rheede van St. Iago. Geteekend van Johann Christian Friderici / Verbeelding van de inwoonders op St Iago.
Porto Praia, Cape Verde, 1783.
Watercolour with ruled black ink border on laid paper, watermarked Pro Patria with Maid of Dort. 29,5 x 120,5 cm.
The largest recorded early modern panoramic view of Cape Verde, by "the best VOC map maker in South Africa" (Koeman). This is his earliest known work.Santiago's Porto Praia is the main harbour of Cape Verde. It served as an important transportation hub of enslaved African people to the Americas and for the restocking of ships bound for the Cape with salt and fresh foods. These two functions of the island are depicted in the cartouche in the top right. It shows an African family and examples of livestock: a turkey and a goat. The man wears clothes that are also seen in depictions of plantation… Read More

A masterpiece of Dutch Golden Age printmaking
Jacques de Gheyn II (1565-1629).
Maniement d'armes d'arqvebuses, movsquets, et piqves. En conformité de l'ordre de Monseigneur le Prince Maurice, Prince d'Orange, Comte de Nassau etc. Gouverneur et Capitain General de Geldres, Hollande, Zeelande, Utrecht, Overijssel etc. Representé par figures, par Jaques de Gheijn. Ensemble les enseignemens par escrit, a l'utilite de tous amateurs des armes, et ausi pour tous capitaines & commandeurs, pour par cecy, pouvoir plus facillement enseigner a leurs soldatz inexperimentez, l'entier et parfait maniement dicelles armes […].
Amsterdam, Robert de Baudous, On les vend' ausi a Amsterdam chez Henrij Laurens, 1608 [= imprint date changed in the plate from 1607 to 1608, but according to STCN, in fact not before 1610].
Folio. Three parts in one volume. [5], 42 pl.; [4], 43 pl.; [5], 32 pl.
Collates: π, X, A-B1, 42 ll; A-B1, 43 ll; a-b1, [c]1, 32 ll.
Getty: [14] p., 32, 43, 42 leaves of plates.
Contemporary vellum… Read More

Drawn studies of Indian boats in an English manuscript notebook

Cornelius Sanjev (?).
[Manuscript notebook]
Bengal, 1834.
4°. 26 pp., 20 ll. Paper watermarked RTassell 1831.
Manuscript textin ink, with 31 drawings in various inks and pencil.
Contemporary half dark green morocco with marbled sides.
Finely illustrated manuscript notebook of a trip to Bengal, India. The author had a particular interest in the boats that he or she encountered while sailing the rivers of Bengal: the notebook counts 14 large and 4 smaller drawings of various types of indigenous boats. Most were first sketched in pencil and then traced with ink. One drawing is signed with what seems like "Cornelius Sanjev", though we could not identify this person.The manuscript starts off as a ship's log of a journey from Portsmouth, England on Tuesday, March 11, 1834. They passed the Cape of Good Hope on May 15th. The author mentions names and destination of ships they encountered along the way, such as the Minerva from Liverpool bound… Read More

"In favour of people of colour" Pivotal point in the fight for racial equality and to abolish slavery
Henri Grégoire (1750-1831).
Mémoire en faveur des gens de couleur ou sang-mêlés de St.-Domingue, & des autres Isles françoises de l'Amérique, adressé à l'Assemblée Nationale.
Paris, Belin, 1789.
8°. 52 pp. With a woodcut device on title and a woodcut headpiece. Collates: A-C8, D2.
Modern marbled boards with gold-tooled title on red Morocco on spine.
The first work against slavery by one of the architects of the first abolition. This publication is the first printing of a controversial speech that Henri Grégoire gave at the National Assembly of France, which was of the utmost importance for the instigation of the road to abolition. Copies are now considered of extreme rarity.Grégoire was a most prominent figure of the French Revolution. In 1789 he was the initiator and author of the First Article of the Declaration of the Rights of Man. From him came the crucial sentence "Men are born… Read More

Description of the world with 645 plates: a rare complete copy

Alain Manesson Mallet (1630-1706).
Beschreibung des gantzen Welt-Kreises, darinnen I. […] V.
Frankfurt, Anton Heinscheidt for Johann Adam Jung, 1719.
5 volumes in 2. 8°. (IX), (VIII), (IV), 263, (1); 276, (24); 170 (22); 519, (1 blank), (XLV), (1 blank); 418, (LXXXIV) pp. = complete with errata leaves.With 645 plates (618 numbered, 5 frontispieces, 17 portraits, 5 unnumbered or wrongly numbered plates). The main title in vol. 1 erroneously mentions 650 plates. See full index of plates below.
An exceptionally rare complete copy of Alain Manesson Mallet's "Description of the World". This remarkable work, here in the second edition of the German translation, provides the reader with a guide to countless places in the world, divided in four parts: Africa, America, Asia and Europe. This is preceded by an introduction to cosmography and geography. The illustrations show maps, cities, people and particularities of the places that are… Read More

Aphra Behn's masterpiece in a rarely seen edition


Aphra Behn (1640-1689); Pierre-Antoine de La Place (1707-1793) [transl.].
Oronoko imité de l'Anglois. Nouvelle edition, revuë & corrigée […].
Paris, Sebastien Jorry, 1756.
2 parts in 1 vol. 12°. XVI, 112, [4], 188, [4] pp. = complete with the Approbation and advertisement leaves at the end (not called for in bibliographies and library records).
Contemporary quarter calf, marbled sides, title label.
Very rare and interesting third edition of the first French translation of Aphra Behn's masterpiece Oroonoko: or, the Royal Slave (London, 1688). This famous female author's novel presents a black person as sympathetic for the first time in Western literature and strongly denounces the cruelties of slavery. It is about an African prince who is tricked into slavery and sold to European planters in Surinam, ending in rebellion and execution. It also includes a description of Surinam and its inhabitants. Author Aphra Behn is considered the true first… Read More