GOUSSANCOURT (Mathieu de). THE MARTYROLOGY OF... Lot 48

GOUSSANCOURT (Mathieu de). THE MARTYROLOGY OF THE KNIGHTS OF S. JEAN DE HIERUSALEM, DITS DE MALTE, contenant leurs Éloges, Armes, Blasons, Preuves de Chevalerie, & descente Généalogique de la plus-part des Maisons Illustres de l'Europe. P., François Noël and Guillaume Le Noir, 1643. Two volumes bound in one in-folio volume in marbled brown basane, triple gilt fillet on the covers with arms stamped in gold in the center, spine decorated with nerves, morocco title page, red edges (old binding). Leaf Q2 in duplicate in vol. I, missing the errata f . in vol. II, otherwise a copy that seems complete despite the numerous pagination and foliation errors. Staining at the bottom of the quire on 8 ff. of the table at the beginning of the book, light staining without affecting the text in the lower margin of a large part of the body of the book, small marginal worm work without affecting the text or the engravings, some old paper restorations on blank parts of the text, skillful restoration of the lower corners of the binding. The numerous pagination errors have been clumsily crossed out and corrected in old black ink. Antique heraldic bookplate pasted on the 1st counterplate, with handwritten mention "Gio Batta Albergotti". ORIGINAL EDITION of this beautiful and rare work of heraldry concerning the Order of Malta. It contains 4 double plates of quarters engraved with burin by Michel van Lochom, numerous coats of arms engraved with burin in the text and a double-page folding table of genealogy. An impressive armorial copy (arms unidentified, possibly Italian), having belonged to CHARLES DE BASCHI, marquis d'AUBAIS (1686-1777), with his armorial stamp in red ink on the title leaf of the second volume "Bibliotheca Albassiana". Bibliophile, historian and genealogist, he had assembled a rich collection of manuscripts and prints. ¶ Saffroy, 5401.