ID 794617
Lot 192 | DURET, Claude (1570–1611)
Estimate value
£ 2 000 – 3 000
Thresor de l'histoire des langues de cest univers. Yverdon: l’imprimerie Societé Caldoriana, 1619.
Second edition of an important linguistic work bound for Charles Kerr, 2nd Earl of Ancram. It is a reissue of the sheets of the first edition with a new title-page (Brunet). The work treats with over 50 languages, modern and ancient, well illustrated with many woodcut alphabets, including in Chinese and Japanese characters. ‘In 1613 Claude Duret, a follower of Vigenère, was finally able to publish the Chinese and Japanese alphabets that Edmond Auger had promised to supply for Vignière. He also gives the ‘numbers’ in Chinese characters .. He provides examples of how European names were written in Japanese and includes the Kanji script. Duret also includes a copy, in Japanese with French interlinear translation, of the patent by the ‘king’ of Bungo granting the Jesuits the right to build a church in the city of Yamaguchi.’ (Lach Asia vol. II, pp. 522-23). There is a 15 page section dealing with Canada and Native American languages, a discussion of the first books made, the first libraries, and the invention of printing. The work ends with a history of the development of language and a chapter on the sounds and language of animals. USTC 6808392; Alden II 619⁄45: ‘Includes accounts of West-Indian and Canadian Native languages’. Sabin 21420: ‘All after page 947 refers to America’. Brunet, II, 916.
4to (227 x 155mm) Title with woodcut printer’s device, folding table, woodcut alphabet illustrations (minor spotting in places, title slightly dusty). Contemporary English calf, covers bordered with a double blind rule, arms of Charles Kerr, 2nd Earl of Ancram gilt stamped at centre, spine with raised bands, gilt tooled in compartments at slightly later date, morocco label gilt (a little worn at extremities). Provenance: Charles Kerr 2nd Earl of Ancram (1624–1690, binding) — Unidentified C19th Engraved armorial bookplate.
Special notice
No VAT on hammer price or buyer's premium.
Place of origin: | Western Europe, Europe, Switzerland |
---|---|
Auction house category: | Printed books |
Place of origin: | Western Europe, Europe, Switzerland |
---|---|
Auction house category: | Printed books |
Address of auction |
CHRISTIE'S 8 King Street, St. James's SW1Y 6QT London United Kingdom | |
---|---|---|
Preview |
| |
Phone | +44 (0)20 7839 9060 | |
Buyer Premium | see on Website | |
Conditions of purchase | Conditions of purchase |
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.