La Guadeloupe pittoresque
Year: 1863
Edition: First edition
Publisher: Paris; Noblet & Baudry
Category: Americas
Folio, pp. 44, 11 lithographed illustrations, including a folding panorama plus a lithographed title page. Original black blind-stamped cloth with gilt titles on front board.
Lacking the printed title page, otherwise complete, including the extra lithographed title page. The two half title pages, with a vignette only of a laurel-wreath around the name of "Karukera" (island of beautiful waters), are present, followed by the descriptive text.
The text quires are lightly agetoned, the plates, however, are very bright and clean. There is some very slight worming throughout the text pages, definitely not affecting the legibility of the text, while there is no damage to the plates.
Rebacked with new endpapers. Corners repaired and lower edge rubbed.
Folio album, sized 555 x 395 mm, containing a rare series of views including the principal towns, Moule and l’Anse Bertrand, and a fine panoramic view of the town and harbour of Pointe-à-Pietre.
Louis Armand Budan was born at Anse-Bertrand in 1827 and died at Saint-Pierre de la Martinique in 1874. He is known both as a painter and as one of the first photographers of the Antilles. He exhibited at the Salon from 1863 till 1867.
In November 1862 he started working on this album, which was published towards the end of the following year. On the front board below the text in gilt "La Guadeloupe / pittoresque / par / A. Budan" there is a gilt stamped initial "T". This book was printed and bound for subscribers at a price of ffr. 48.- Each subscriber could have his initials stamped in gilt on the front board.
A very rare book with only two records both in ABPC and RBH. WorldCat reveals several copies of this 1863 edition, however, on closer inspection the fast majority appears to be the reprint edition of 1972.
A very desirable book with exquisite duo-tone lithographs showing the towns, forests and landscapes of Guadeloupe.
Sabin 8949.
Click on a picture to enlarge.
