TRISTAN, Knight of the Round Table. Newly printed in Paris. - Lot 24

TRISTAN, Knight of the Round Table. Newly printed in Paris. Paris: Michel le Noir, May 26, 1520. Two parts in one small folio volume (269 x 188 mm), 18th-century binding in marbled calfskin, decorated ribbed spine, red edges. The sixth and penultimate Gothic edition of this famous chivalric romance. It reproduces, page for page, the previous edition, published in 1514 by the same Michel Le Noir and Jean Petit. The first four editions, published in Rouen and later in Paris by or for Antoine Vérard from 1489 to circa 1506, are extremely rare and virtually impossible to find.¹ The superb title woodcut is taken from *Le Triomphe des neuf preux*, published by Le Noir in 1507, where it depicted the figure of Du Guesclin. The inscription “Bertran,” which appeared on the banner in that edition, has been replaced here with “Tristan.” On the reverse side is another very beautiful woodcut showing the author presenting his book to the king, likely a copy of a woodcut from the Vérard collection, as evidenced by the donor’s facial features and the characteristic presence of the small dog wearing a collar. A third full-page woodcut, also of very fine workmanship, appears on the verso of the last leaf of the first part, depicting a knight in armor surrounded by soldiers and servants. At the end of the volume is the imprint of Michel Le Noir, who died on September 29, 1520; this is one of his very last printings. A fine copy, with very wide margins, of this extremely rare edition—the only one cited by Bechtel as being in private hands. Handwritten inscriptions on the title page (a note of ownership dated January 1, 1630, belonging to a certain Cochet, Sieur de Laruns(?)) and on the last leaf; slight water stain at the top, not very pronounced and mainly marginal (slightly more extensive on a few leaves in the second part); small marginal tear with no loss on leaf lxxviii. From the Charles-Louis Fière Library (1933, no. 10). 1- A copy of the third edition (Vérard, n.d., before 1499), which was missing two title pages, was nevertheless recently sold at auction for €167,000 (Jean Bourdel Library, Part Three, April 14, 2026). Acquired by Émile Rossignol in 1958. Bechtel (G.). Catalogue of French Gothic Books, T-51.

Estimate:£5,113.41

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