The Travels of Sir John Mandeville Beyond the Holy Land

[Foolscap Press] Peggy Gotthold (illustrations and illuminations)

Verlag: Foolscap Press, Santa Cruz, 2019

Beschreibung

Hardcover. Number 56 of 90 numbered copies, numbered and signed by the binder and printer proprietors of the press. The press describes this scarce and exceptionally beautiful book from the esteemed Foolscap Press: "The Travels of Sir John Mandeville follows a journey that began in 1322 and continued on for more than thirty years. This edition commences as Mandeville leaves the Holy Land and travels east to the lands beyond Egypt, which were mostly unknown to Western Europeans at that time. It is a strange journey and one that has kept his book alive and in print since it was first published in manuscript form in 1357. His was a piece of European literature rather than a history of exploration. The book was carried aboard ship by Christopher Columbus and others on their voyages of discovery, adding to their confidence that they could safely circumnavigate the globe." They continue: "Our edition is illustrated and illuminated by Peggy Gotthold following Mandeville s observations of strange flora and fauna and the remarkable beings he encountered; and especially of the wondrous and powerful kingdoms he chanced upon, which held more gold and jewels and strange customs than his contemporaries could imagine; here are kings and emperors with power at their finger tips beyond the reach of any autocratic ruler in Medieval Europe. Our text is based mainly on the Cotton MS, a translation that was first edited in 1725 and continues to be a starting point for serious study of Sir John Mandeville. Though imperfect, it adheres very closely to the original. As no inventive travel book should be made without including a map or two, we have supplemented Mandeville s narrative with five imaginative maps created for this edition. These are maps that would make sense to a fellow traveler of Mandeville s time. They are not modern maps where one might expect to identify one s place on land or the sea. There are no precise coordinates of latitude and longitude. These maps are also narrative and allow the reading traveler to follow Sir John Mandeville, whoever he was, through an unfamiliar landscape. The modern reader will also discover the bizarre and unexpected in the world and share in Mandeville s amazement and curiosity while traveling alongside him." Bound in handmade Cave red paper covers with a paper title label to front cover. Includes five double-page maps printed on handmade linen paper from Papeterie St. Armand. Hand-applied gilt illuminations appear throughout. Letterpress printed on Chancery paper handmade at the University of Iowa's Center for the Book under the direction of Timothy Barrett in Silentium text, designed by Jovica Veljovic. The initials are Cloister and Versatile. Housed in a red cloth covered clamshell box. In fine condition. Size of book: 9 x 12.75 inches. 104 pages. PRI/092124. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 37478

Bibliografische Details

Titel: The Travels of Sir John Mandeville Beyond ...

Verlag: Foolscap Press, Santa Cruz

Erscheinungsdatum: 2019

Einband: Hardcover

Zustand: Fine

Signiert: Signatur des Verfassers

Auflage: 1. Auflage