[elzevier / Elsevier] Rabelais (françois) - The Works. 2/2. 1663.

RABELAIS (François). The Works of Mr. François Rabelais augmented with The Life of the author and some remarks on life and history with the explanation of all the difficult words. Sl [Amsterdam], s.é. [Daniel Elzevier / Elsevier], 1663. 2 vols. in narrow in-16 format (142 x 73 mm) of 12 ff. n.fol., 488 pp. and 5 ff. n.fol. ; 1 fnfol., [457 pp.], and 4 ff. n.fol. Bindings from the period in full brown speckled calfskin, cold fillet framing the covers, ribbed spine decorated with bold cold fillets, double gilded framing boxes, large gilded fleuron decoration, gilt title, gilt volume volume, gilt palette at the tail, speckled slices. Complete set of the two volumes constituting this ''edition sought after and paid very dearly because of its typographic elegance''. Decor of slightly dissimilar binding irons. First Elzévienne edition; whose accompanying Notes are attributed to Pierre du Puy (according to Tchemerzine). ''Very pretty edition, well-preserved copies of which are very difficult to find'' already indicated De Bure. ''This is undoubtedly a very pretty edition. A highly sought-after book of which beautiful copies are rare. (in Brunet). ''Nice edition, well printed''. (in Rahir). Following the Fifth and last Book, we find La Pantagrueline prognostication, L'Epître du Limousin, Le Crème philosophale, two Epistles to two old ladies, L'Alphabet de l'auteur (appearing here for the first time according to Plan), La Brief statement and The Clarification of Some Difficult Places by Rabelais. The Dive bottle is printed on page 833. Plan Rabelaisian bibliography, 128 - De Bure, Instructive bibliography or treatise on the knowledge of rare and singular books, 3603 - Willems, Les Elzevier, 1316 - Rahir, La Bibliothèque de l'amateur, p. 599 - Tchemerzine V, Bibliography of original and rare editions of French authors, 317 - Brunet IV, Manual for the bookseller and book lover, 1058. Peeling and slight superficial abrasions affecting the bindings. Rare as well as clear foxing in the text. Discreet outline in the upper margin of a few leaves of one of the volumes. Otherwise, good condition.