(Gastronomy) VONTET, Jacques: L'art de trancher... Lot 111

(Gastronomy) VONTET, Jacques: L'art de trancher la viande et toutes sortes de fruits à la mode italienne et nouvellement à la mode française, par Sieur jacques Vontet, Ecuyer tranchant. Lyon: 1669. One small volume in-4°. Contemporary full tan basane binding, muted Jansenist spine. This book is "one of the most curious works of gastronomic literature" (Oberlé: Fastes de Bacchus et de Comus: n°552 for an edition dated 1647. Idem Vicaire: 870). It is partly handwritten (for the text, calligraphed in ink and accompanied by typographical ornamentation), and partly engraved (for the copperplate illustrations). The few known copies seem to feature a different number and assembly of figures, as well as variations in the text. Ours is composed as follows - a plate of fantastic animals (double-headed eagle surmounted by 2 animals apparently related to beetles, applied to the 1st counterplate); - an unidentified full-page frontispiece coat-of-arms; - a calligraphic title; - 2 handwritten leaves (4 pages): "To the reader"; then follow 25 pages of text (24.5 to be precise, one page contains an engraving and text) interspersed with 39 pages (actually 38.5 cf. supra) bearing 60 engraved figures, some repeated (23 of them full-page); the same engraving applied to the 1st counterplate is repeated on the second; and a few blank leaves. A total of 42 engraved pages including the coat of arms, representing after the 1st plate, concerning the art of holding a knife and fork, 32 figures for poultry, 5 figures for hares, 3 figures for pigs, wild boars, 1 for fish, 2 for kids, 3 figures for calves, 2 for sheep, 8 for cutting fruit, 4 for fantastic animals. Many of the engravings are completed in pen and ink (slicing indications and part numbering). Binding with wear and tears to spine. A GOOD EXAMPLE, very rare and sought-after.