De Zeden der Wilden van Amerika / Customs of the American Indians

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Lafitau [La Fiteau], Joseph-Francois.

De Zeden der Wilden van Amerika (2 volumes in one).

Lafitau (1681-1746) was a French Jesuit missionary who worked amongst the Indigenous tribes of Canada (chiefly the Iroquois) from 1711-1717, carrying out an unusually scientific study of their customs; “a voyageur in the mainstream of empirical ethnography” – DCB. This first Dutch edition followed the 1724 French edition titled “Moeurs des Savages Ameriquains”; the English-language edition was published in 1974 as part of the Champlain Society’s General Series. “Gives very extended and very exact details of the customs, manners, and religion of the Savages of North America, though principally of the Indians of Canada” – Sabin.

The Hague: Gerard Vander Poel, 1731. First Dutch edition. pp. (14), 36, (18), 300 (4), 301-555; some erroneous numbering of pages (as is often noted regarding this edition; text is complete and continuous notwithstanding). Both half titles and title pages are present, with titles in red and black; also the map, and 41 of the 42 called-for engraved plates (missing plate 29). Folio (330 x 200 mm). Contemporary vellum binding with blind-tooled central arabesque to boards, rules to boards and spine, title hand-written on spine, rubbed but legible. Some discolouration and wear to boards, corner torn from front pastedown, first signature loosened, tear to title page (from gutter into centre, about 10 cm in total), occasional spotting; very good copy in contemporary binding. Vellum.
Sabin 38598; Howes L22; Streeter I, 121; DCB III p.334-338. (#060639) USD $ 2,500.00