MASSON ABRAHAM (Laurent)

Lot 132
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Estimation :
3000 - 3500 EUR
MASSON ABRAHAM (Laurent)
Almanac des Marins or Ephemeris of the movements of the sun and the moon for the bisexual year 1772. With their application to the Navy. Île de France, From the Royal Printing Office, 1772. In-8, half marbled calf, spine decorated, red title page (Modern binding in the old style). Almanac printed in the Island of France, of extreme rarity. The appearance of printing on the island of Mauritius dates back to 1767, and the first press began to operate the following year. The almanacs, which are among the first "incunabula" of the Island of France, are of particular interest and few French colonies or other nations can boast of possessing such an interesting series for the 18th century. [...] The first almanac of the Ile de France was published in 1769 by Laurent Masson-Abraham, artillery storekeeper in this colony from 1767 to 1794 (cf. Auguste Toussaint, "Les débuts de l'imprimerie aux îles Mascareignes" in Revue d'Histoire des colonies, 1948, t. 35, n°122, pp. 1-26). The almanac contains indications on navigation, a list of the arrivals and departures of ships from Port-Louis during the year 1771, astronomical data, the project of a veterinary school, etc. Title reinforced at the bottom; inner margin of the last leaf restored, part of the fillet redone with ink.
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