Martinus Polonus. La Cronique martiniane de tous les papes qui furent jamais et finist jusques au Pape Alexandre derrenier, translated by Sébastien Mamerot, 2 vol., collation: ?⁶ a-g⁸ h⁶ i⁴ k⁶ l-q⁸ r⁶ s-z⁸ ?⁸; AA⁸ A-Q⁸ R-S⁶ T⁸ V⁴, double column, lettre bâtarde, titles with a large woodcut grotesque initial, woodcut decorative initials, initial spaces, with and without guide-letters, vol.2 woodcut genealogical to A5v and printer's device at end, a1 blank, vol.1 some initials in red or red and blue and ruled throughout in red, vol.2 title with repaired tear to upper margin and neatly mounted on stub, large but neat repair to outer margin of AA8 and final f., wormhole to outer and lower margins (expanding to trace in last few ff.), that in lower margin sometimes encroaching on text, marginal water-staining, both vol. occasional staining (in vol.1 see in particular ?^3&4 and final f.) or spotting, a few marginal repairs, later marbled endpapers, handsome 17th century olive morocco, richly gilt, probably by Florimond Badier, spines in compartments, covers and spines with repeating geometric pattern of gilt swirls and sequins, pointillé decoration and fleuron corner-pieces all within wide richly tooled borders, both vol. stamped 'DAVACOUR[T]', spines neatly repaired, some restoration, including upper cover of vol.2 (corners and a section at foot), a few small stains, both vol. housed in solid buckram drop-back boxes, folio (352 x 242mm.), Paris, Antoine Vérard, [c.1503-1507].

⁂ A stunning set of the first and only French edition of this chronicle and history of the popes. Martin Strebski was born in Troppau, and became a Dominican friar, papal chaplain and penitentiary under Clement IV and succeeding popes, finally rising to Archbishop of Gnesen. Volume one remains an important source for the history of the Avignonese papacy, and the second volume comprises a history of France from 1399 to 1503. It is in the latter volume that we learn of the collapse (c.1500) of the Parisian bridge upon which Verard's shop was located, forcing him to move to the address of the colophon and thereby helping us date the production of the present work. Our probable binder Florimond Badier was apprenticed to the gilder Jean Thomas in 1630 and completed his studies in 1636. In 1645 he married the daughter of the binder Jean Gillede and was made free of the Guild of St Jean. Badier like Le Gascon (it has been suggested the two were the same) was a master of the pointillé or dotted style which increased the brilliance of the gilding. Three very fine and intricate pointillé bindings signed by Badier are known.

Provenance: Vol.I: 'A Claude Fauchet' (16th century ink inscription to head of title); 'Claude de montperlier' and 'Marie guiot' (17th century ink inscriptions to title), small armorial and 19th century printed monogram stamps to title; 'J.G.' (silver armorial book label to inner cover). Vol II: '?Dultory' (16th century inscription to title); inscription dated 1670 to lower margin of title.

Literature: Fairfax-Murray French, 362; Macfarlane Vérard 158; Brunet III, 1504; cf. Gruel I, plate after p.160 & G.D. Hobson, Fanfare Bindings 1935.