2302 risultati
1966rif. 12447Paris - Bièvres, Pierre de Tartas, 1966 ; in-folio en feuilles sous couverture beige muette, coffret d'éditeur de tissu marron, titre lavande, intérieur de suédine grise ; (106) pp., (2) ff. blancs, 18 lithographies originales en couleurs, dont 7 à doubles pages et 3 en marge du livre par Jean Commère.
1892Folio, First Edition, with portrait frontispiece (of Bewick; original guard present), 16 fine coloured plates (all original guards present), 18 plates in autotype (all original guards present) and 30 wood-engraved illustrations (by the author and George Lodge) in the text, neat contemporary signature on front paste-down; original red straight-grained half morocco, red coarse-grain cloth sides blocked and lettered in gilt, gilt back, gilt top, blue-grey endpapers, uncut, joints and corners very faintly rubbed else a near fine, crisp copy. Lovely copy of Millais' well-known monograph on the four primary species: Capercaillie, Blackgame, Grouse and Ptarmigan. A number of the text-illustrations are by George Lodge. Freeman 2583; Jackson p.25; Mullens & Swann, p.405; Tate p.247.
1906rif. BIGGAMEH002055Privately printed by Marchant Singer & Co London. 1906. First edition. Royal octavo. pp xvi 415. 112 illustrations mostly from photographs by Mrs McMillan but also a number of full-page reproductions of drawings by the author. Large folding colour map in pocket at rear. Original red cloth gilt. Accounts of four hunting trips by Mr and Mrs McMillan in which the author participated. The McMillans originally from St Louis Missouri had relocated to London and also owned a farm in Kenya.Gift inscription from 1923 on front free endpaper. Front inner hinge starting to split. Endpapers a bit tanned and spotted. Very good indeed. Scarce. Privately printed by Marchant Singer & Co, London. hardcover
1889rif. 59410Paris: n.p. 1889. 4to. 10.5 x 10.75 in. Six individual puzzles individually postcard sized approx. 3.5 x 4.75 in. w/ colour chromolithograph image dissected onto nine wooden pieces each 1 small piece has been supplied in facsimile for upper corner of the Cairo street puzzle. All contained w/in the original deep red paper-covered wooden box raised bed w/in the box to hold the puzzles lid w/ decorative gilt title lettering minor shelfwear very minor rubbing still a VG nearly complete artifact. Very scarce original souvenir puzzle game issued for the fourth great Paris World’s Fair celebrating through pomp and events the Centennial of the French Revolution and the storming of the Bastille. The Exposition was intended to pull France out of a ruinous recession and attracted over 61000 exhibitors as well as 32 million visitors many of whom came to view the iconic Eiffel Tower. This puzzle celebrates several of the pavilions at the Exposition including Palais des Beaux-Arts designed by Joseph Brouvard filled with painting and flanking the Eiffel Tower providing visitors; the Palais de Trocadero held over from the famed 1878 Exposition celebrating the renewal of Paris following the Franco-Prussian War; as well as the Ministere de la Guerre which featured an Arms & Armour exhibition as well as displays of knightly tournaments assorted uniforms and cannon. The Maison Egyptienne and Rue au Caire would fuel the Orientalist movement and fascination with the Middle East among artists writers and the industrial arts well into the 20th Century. These boxed puzzle games were quite popular souvenirs as well as educational tools in the Belle Epoque and have become remarkably scarce. No copies in Worldcat. n.p., unknown
1890rif. 20151France 1890. 48 playing cards on thick stock. 86 x 56 mm. Wood engraved designed with stencil color versos alike with wood engraved grid fields. Excellent condition. A fine deck of cards for the game of Aluette a trick-taking game commonly played in France. Made up of four suits—batons coins swords and cups—the deck is dealt to players clockwise and played in “tricks”; the highest card wins and the player who threw it take the rest of the pile. Although it is a French game Aluette uses Spanish suits indicating that the game may be older than the creation of French playing cards. It is also called “La Vache” in some circles because one of the cups cards features a cow. B.P. Grimaud was the primary producer of Aluette decks but not that offered here. However the basic imagery on the cards closely follows Grimaud’s of the mid-late 19th century. unknown
1890rif. 20151France 1890. 48 playing cards on thick stock. 86 x 56 mm. Wood engraved designed with stencil color versos alike with wood engraved grid fields. Excellent condition. A fine deck of cards for the game of Aluette a trick-taking game commonly played in France. Made up of four suits—batons coins swords and cups—the deck is dealt to players clockwise and played in “tricks”; the highest card wins and the player who threw it take the rest of the pile. Although it is a French game Aluette uses Spanish suits indicating that the game may be older than the creation of French playing cards. It is also called “La Vache” in some circles because one of the cups cards features a cow. B.P. Grimaud was the primary producer of Aluette decks but not that offered here. However the basic imagery on the cards closely follows Grimaud’s of the mid-late 19th century. unknown books
1884rif. 6396Cambrai: Renaut, 1884. 1884 1 vol in-8° (210 x 140 mm) de : 139 pp. (dont faux titre, titre) ; nombreux schémas et tableaux dans le texte ; cachet de libraire et signature manuscrite de l'auteur et concepteur du jeu au dos de la page de titre. Demi-basane verte d'époque, dos lisse orné et titré, plats recouverts de papier marbré, tranches marbrées. (Reliure frottée).
1820rif. 103149No place no date but Leiden P.J. Trap c. 1820. Size: c. 6 x 8 cm. 27 cards the first one with two children reading and the other 26 contain the alphabet in various lettering types and the Roman and Arabic numbers. Each card also shows a word beginning with the letter on it and a handcoloured picture of the word. Each card with a decorative typographical border various types. card with publisher's name not present; the first card with browning and staining but all in all a lovely clean set held in a homemade green open box. Rare Dutch alphabet cards. The first card was used for the cover of 'Kinderen lazen kinderen lezen'. c.f. Van Veen Kinderen lazen kinderen lezen #17; Buijnsters Papertoys p. 142/143. P.J. Trap
rif. Z1-E-007-01823Open University Press. Used - Good. Ships from UK in 48 hours or less usually same day. Your purchase helps support Sri Lankan Children's Charity 'The Rainbow Centre'. Ex-library so some stamps and wear but in good overall condition. 100% money back guarantee. We are a world class secondhand bookstore based in Hertfordshire United Kingdom and specialize in high quality textbooks across an enormous variety of subjects. We aim to provide a vast range of textbooks rare and collectible books at a great price. Our donations to The Rainbow Centre have helped provide an education and a safe haven to hundreds of children who live in appalling conditions. We provide a 100% money back guarantee and are dedicated to providing our customers with the highest standards of service in the bookselling industry. Open University Press unknown
1825rif. 18320French: n.p. 1825. Very good. 11 engraved cut-out figures or objects including ferryman three couples wolf goat cabbage and boat to be slotted into boat original box with engraved pictorial label colored by hand A rare children's game possibly printed by the Parisian publisher Nepveau. Contained in the box measuring 14cm x 7cm x 1cm is a complete set of figures for the two river crossing puzzles known as the 'Jealous Husbands Problem' and 'Goat Wolf and Cabbage'. The earliest account of these puzzles is in the 9th century manuscript "Propositionnes ad Acuendos Juvenes" Problems to Sharpen the Young attributed to Alcuin. In both puzzles there are only two places in the boat. In the Jealous Husbands Problem no woman can be with another man unless also accompanied by her husband. In Goat Wolf and Cabbage the wolf will eat the goat and the goat will eat the cabbage unless they are guarded by the boatman. Originally accompanied by counters and an instruction sheet now lost. The box is lightly worn else in very good condition; the figures are in fine condition except the boat which has been repaired and the cabbage which lacks the lower part of its insertion tab and one female figure lacks a hand. Rare. n.p. unknown
1825rif. 18320French: n.p. 1825. Very good. 11 engraved cut-out figures or objects including ferryman three couples wolf goat cabbage and boat to be slotted into boat original box with engraved pictorial label colored by hand A rare children's game possibly printed by the Parisian publisher Nepveau. Contained in the box measuring 14cm x 7cm x 1cm is a complete set of figures for the two river crossing puzzles known as the 'Jealous Husbands Problem' and 'Goat Wolf and Cabbage'. The earliest account of these puzzles is in the 9th century manuscript "Propositionnes ad Acuendos Juvenes" Problems to Sharpen the Young attributed to Alcuin. In both puzzles there are only two places in the boat. In the Jealous Husbands Problem no woman can be with another man unless also accompanied by her husband. In Goat Wolf and Cabbage the wolf will eat the goat and the goat will eat the cabbage unless they are guarded by the boatman. Originally accompanied by counters and an instruction sheet now lost. The box is lightly worn else in very good condition; the figures are in fine condition except the boat which has been repaired and the cabbage which lacks the lower part of its insertion tab and one female figure lacks a hand. Rare. n.p. unknown books
1723rif. Debonnaire1723GAME OF THE GOOSE Essay du nouveau conte de ma Mère l'Oye ou les enluminures du jeu de la Constitution by Louis Debonnaire. No imprint 1723. 8vo xiii xviii 176pp; early leather boards with original spine laid down. Despite the claim that this is a new edition it is nonetheless an UNCOMMON IMITATION of the traditional "Game of the Goose" a rhymed pastiche as if spoken by Mother Goose written by a Jansenist priest Abbot wherein one must win the formation of a new Council here referred to as a Constitution. It introduced what became a familiar catchphrase "LIBERTY EQUALITY FRATERNITY" condemned in 1725 as anti-Rome. Barber III 880 No imprint hardcover
1723rif. Debonnaire1723GAME OF THE GOOSE Essay du nouveau conte de ma Mère l'Oye ou les enluminures du jeu de la Constitution by Louis Debonnaire. No imprint 1723. 8vo xiii xviii 176pp; early leather boards with original spine laid down. Despite the claim that this is a new edition it is nonetheless an UNCOMMON IMITATION of the traditional "Game of the Goose" a rhymed pastiche as if spoken by Mother Goose written by a Jansenist priest Abbot wherein one must win the formation of a new Council here referred to as a Constitution. It introduced what became a familiar catchphrase "LIBERTY EQUALITY FRATERNITY" condemned in 1725 as anti-Rome. Barber III 880 No imprint hardcover books
rif. P95Oblong Folio album ca. 24x35 cm. 12 card stock leaves. With 96 mounted gelatin silver photographs mostly printed as real photo postcards all ca. 85x135 cm 3 ¼ x 5 ¼ in. All but ten photos with period white ink captions on the mounts. With a large loosely inserted gelatin silver photo ca. 20x30 cm 7 ¾ x 11 ¾ in. Period black cloth album with a gilt-tooled vignette “The Photo Gallery” on the front board. Captions slightly faded one photo has been previously removed from the album but overall a very good album with interesting strong images. Attractive collection of well-preserved vivid photographs of British colonial residents going on big game hunting trips in central and southern India in the 1920s. The images illustrate a 1921 hunting trip to the Nilgiri Mountains the areas near Ooty Avalanche Lake and modern-day Mudumalai National Park a 1923 safari to the Godavari River valley near Karimnagar a 1926 trip to the “Kanara jungle” near “Bilki” Bilaki and “Chipgiri” Chipageri both in the state of Karnataka near the modern-day Sharavati Valley Wildlife Sanctuary and a 1925 trip to the Wardha River valley on the Central Plains. There are also several photos from a fishing trip to the Nilgiri Mountains in 1923. Most photos show the British hunters “self” “Harry” “Bill” and their trophies – tigers including “maneaters” bison elephants bears caught fish a panther and a chinkara antelope. There are also interesting images of a “view from Ooty club” Ooty and Avalanche Lakes “the Kundas” Kunda Hills “forest bungalow Mudumalai” hunting camps native staff and porters fishermen in the Godavari River two examples of “How not to and how to climb for toddy” “Chipgiri bungalow” Wardha River etc. Eight photos at rear portray the album compiler and his racing horses – winners of several races in India in the 1920s. Overall a nice album with sound photos from traditional hunting trips in the jungles and mountains of central and southern India – to the areas many of which became national parks in independent India. hardcover
1938rif. 734G4576London: Robert Hale Limited 1938. Book. Good. Hardcover. First English Edition. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. 123 pages. Black and white photographic frontisplate of author. First published in German in the same year. Noteworthy for its call for a resurrection of the same two-front military alliance which was marshalled against Germany in the Great War. The following year 'Foreign Affairs Quarterly' published a review of this book endorsing this policy. - Mike King. "In July 1914 Dr. Ludwig expounded the causes and misunderstandings which led up to the Great War. The purpose of the present work is to provide a remedy for the present perilous impasse before it is too late to avert disaster." - from dust jacket. In preparing this work Ludwig confidentially sent the first 83 pages of his manuscript to Edward VIII for his corrections which were later provided by letter. Source available upon request. Bold dust jacket art depicts British/French/US spear piercing a Nazi swastika. Unmarked. Binding tight. Moderate wear to book. Somewhat above-average wear to dust jacket which is now preserved in mylar. Moderate age-toning near endpapers. Moderate foxing to edges and back half of dust jacket. A sound copy of this significant work. Robert Hale Limited Hardcover
1840rif. 5201GAME. Arlequin und Columbine oder Arlequins Hochzeit. Nach der bekannten Pantomime gleichen Namens stellen bei diesem Spiele sämtliche Mitspieler Freier um Pantolons Tochter Columbine vor. n.p. n.p. ca 1830. VAT in EU & UK Lithograph broadside mounted on board 365 x 325 mm hand-coloured; board showing some staining and edges a little frayed; numbered 222 at bottom. A well preserved board game played with two dice relating to the marriage of Harlequin and Columbine. Based on the well-known pantomime of the same name in this game all the players introduce suitors for Pantolon's daughter Columbine etc. The central circular field depicts the wedding couple surrounded by a number of acrobats. The surrounding twelve numbered arches show twelve stock male courtship figures all vying for Columbine's attention. The four corners show Commedia dell'arte figures. Clockwise from the top the arches are numbered 2 7 5 4 10 2 8 3 6 9 2 11 while the central circle is numbered 12. The numbers thus represent all chances upon double dice with double 1 appearing three times. The rules give pay or take instructions for the various throws. The rules of the game are printed below. One participant is the 'banker' who organises the game and takes the pawns from all participants and arranges for the money to be distributed. The players throw dice andmove along according to their results. This board game is number 222 from the fund of an unknown German publisher printed about 1840. See Plock Phillippa and Adrian Seville "The Rothschild Collection of printed board games at Waddesdon Manor" in XIIIth Board Game Studies Colloquium Paris 14-17 April 2010; Buijnsters P.J. Papertoys. Speelprenten en papieren speelgoed in Nederland 1640-1920. Waanders Uitgevers-Zwolle 2005. n.p.
1938rif. 86240London: Robert Hale 1938. 1st edition. Nice Copy. octavo. dust jacket 123pp. frontis. A warning that the new alliance between Britain France the US & Nazi Germany will end in disaster.Very nice copy in grey boards in a very nice bright dust jacket with minimal chipping at edges. Extremely scarce especially in this condition. PHOTO available Robert Hale hardcover
1895rif. 78554August 1895 - 1978. original padded leather. The album's spine is perished with light wear at edges; contents sound and fine. 8vo. Illustrated throughout. The first page is an amusing original hand-colored cartoon of a Victorian couple cowering in front of a pig initialled "A.T." Following are 175 pig drawings all signed and most dated and many with a location. Dozens are neatly filled in in black and one is flesh-colored. 117 drawings were made between 1895-1900; 26 from 1900-1910 . hardcover
1883rif. 4269Vienna: Militär - Wissenschaftlichen Vereines 1883. First Edition. 19th century marbled boards and linen backstrip. Good; two institutional stamps of the Officiers Bibliothek of the Bosn.- Herceg. Infant. Bat. #4 on the title page and a text page; some age toning; wear to the linen backstrip. 8vo 4 130 pp 11 charts some with outline color and maps with a printed pocket holder at the rear. The author was a colonel on the Austro Hungarian general staff and an authority on military science. The text is a very detailed and critical assessment of the usefulness and limitations of military war games e.g. the limitations of the use of dice in games of this kind based on the mathematical outcomes allowed. A rigorous critique. There are also lengthy descriptions of the combinations of troops terrain and actions based on chance. No American locations in OCLC and the five locations in Europe show at least two defective copies; absent from von Hilgers War Games - A History of War on Paper. Militär - Wissenschaftlichen Vereines hardcover books
Lyon, chez les Fréres Bruyset, 1732. Dos volúmenes en gran folio; 6 hs., 1656 columnas de texto y 100 columnas de índices + 2 hs., 1570 columnas de texto y 85 columnas de índices. Con un total de 255 viñetas grabadas entre el texto, gran parte de ellas referidas a temas de caza, pesca, agricultura, jardinería y ganadería. Encuadernación uniforme en piel , de la época, con lomeras profusamente ornadas. Noël Chomel fue discípulo de Jean-Baptiste de la Quintinie, jardinero de Luis XIV. Párroco rural y ecónomo del Hôtel-Dieu de Lyon, reunió a lo largo de su vida sus experiencias campestres y domésticas, y publicó a los 76 años, en 1709, este monumental diccionario, traducido a numerosos idiomas, hasta el japonés, pero nunca en español.
2009rif. DADAX1934857319Catalyst Game Labs 2009-08-19. Anniversary. hardcover. New. 8.63x1.00x11.13. Buy with confidence. Excellent Customer Service & Return policy. Catalyst Game Labs hardcover
2016rif. 126133I.B.Tauris. New. Paperback. FREE UPGRADE to Courier/Priority Shipping Upon Request - IN STOCK AND IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE FOR SHIPMENT - Flawless copy brand new pristine never opened -- with a bonus offer-- . 2016. 178130047X . I.B.Tauris paperback
2006rif. 76481NMS. New. Paperback. FREE UPGRADE to Courier/Priority Shipping Upon Request - IN STOCK AND IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE FOR SHIPMENT - Flawless copy brand new pristine never opened -- 108 pp. With 138 ills. 125 col. . 20 x 21 cm. -- with a bonus offer--; The msot exciting contemporary jewelery by designers around the world. Gallery of works with discussion of technology style philosophy and design ideas. Superb photographs. . 2006. 1901663035 . NMS paperback
1724rif. BB_88102Game of the Goose Poesies sur la Constitution Unigenitus. Recueillies par le Chevalier de G. Officier de Regiment de Champagne. Villefranche i.e. Amsterdam: Chez Philalete Belhumeur 1724. Two volumes. Illustrated with duplicate frontispieces title-vignettes and many decorative woodcut head- and tail-pieces. 8vo. i i xxiv 317 pp. – i i 389 pp.; uniform polished tree-calf extra-gilt all edges gilt covers with armorial gilt stamp. First edition thus greatly revised and expanded from an earlier version with essays letters poems reviews and songs with political Constitution religious Pope Clement XI and literary interest. Most important this work includes an essay titled "Essai du Nouveau Conte de Ma Mere L'Oye" NewTales of Mother Goose showing the influence of Perrault's tales barely twenty years after his death AND a handsome folding-out engraved board game titled "Le Jeu de la Constitution" designed in a race-game format. As a notable compilation of pro-Jansenist writings of an often satirical nature with the aforementioned board game and its five pages of rules on a folding plate. Selections include: "Les 101 propositions de la constitution Unigenitus exprimées en cent et un couplets"; "Ode pindarique sur la destruction du monastère de Port-Royal-des-Champs"; "Adieu d'une dame janséniste qui se refugie en Hollande". Brunet 4: 755. Weller 2: 88. Willaert 2: 9370. For the game see Phillippa Plock & Adrian Seville "Rothschild Collection of Printed Board Games at Waddesdon Manor" in: Of Boards and Men: Board Games Investigated Proceedings of the XIIIth Board Game Studies Colloquium Paris 14-17 April 2010 pp. 101-103: "B3 2669.2.25 Le Jeu de la Constitution - 1721/22 or to give its the full title Le Jeu / De la Constitution / Sur l'air du branle de Mets sic is one of the most controversial games ever devised on the pattern of the game of Goose and perhaps may be regarded as the first polemical variant Girard and Quétel 1982: 58 and 73. It dates from about 1721 but is associated with a book that appeared a year later the Essay Essai du Nouveau Conte de ma Mère l'Oye ou Les Enluminures de la Constitution. This book contains a folding plate of the game in smaller format and with some omission of text. It also contains 18 enluminures in rhymed couplets which explain the game in detail. The claimed author is given in the subtitle: 'Poesies sur la Constitution Unigenitus recuellies par le Chevalier de G. Officier du Regiment de Champagne'. The publisher is given as Philalete Belhumeur "Good Humour" Villefranche. These publication details are of course wholly fictitious as is the claimed author who in reality was the Abbe é Louis de Bonnaire 1680-1752; the book was published in Amsterdam the full-sheet game probably in Paris. De Bonnaire was a supporter of the Jansenist heresy named for Cornelius Jansen 1585-1638: this theology emphasised a particular reading of Augustine's idea of efficacious grace which stressed that only a certain portion of humanity were predestined to be saved. Though the Jansenists were strongly Catholic Jesuits and the papacy were suspicious of their beliefs which seemed to limit free will and the ability to choose to do good or evil. Despite condemnation by Pope Innocent X in 1655 the movement gained strong support in the Church. The Jansenist position as included in 101 of the propositions of Pasquier Quesnel Jansenist theologian b1634 d1719 in his Épitomé des Morales des Évangélistes of 1671 was finally condemned by Pope Clement XI's Unigenitus bull of 1713 but even this condemnation did little to diminish the enthusiasm of adherents. Indeed in 1717 four French Bishops attempted to appeal Unigenitus to a General Council a move that received considerable support from other clergy and the parlements though the majority of clergy stood by the Pope: Clement responded in the next year by excommunicating all those who had called for a General Council. Even so it was not until 1728 that the death of Jansenism was marked by the submission to the Pope's authority of Cardinal Noailles Archbishop of Paris who had originally approved Quesnel's book and was reluctant to support Unigenitus arguing that many of the 101 propositions were in fact orthodox. The point of the game and of De Bonnaire's book is to challenge and mock the authority of the Church and in particular that of the Pope and of his bull. For example the columns on either side are each headed by a cartoon depicting the Pope in council all present being represented by geese wearing mitres. Below the lefthand cartoon is the Latin phrase "Non ego cum Gruibus simul Anseribusque sedebo in Synodis - S. Greg. Nazianz Carm. 10" I shall not sit in Synod with cranes and geese. This refers to a dictum of Gregory of Nazianzus c329-390 Archbishop of Constantinople who compared the rowdy Council of Constantinople 381 AD to the loud cackling of a flock of geese. The 'good' spaces show the Apostles 'equal in number to that of the geese which they replace': there are thirteen including St Paul and they occupy the traditional spaces. The traditional hazards are likewise replaced or given special significance and others are added. The usual entry arch appears as Noah's Ark at space 1 symbolising the Church as it is tossed about on the waters of Unigenitus. The bridge of explanations at the expected space 6 shows bishops falling into the water marking their error in taking the wrong sense of the 101 propositions: it leads to space 12 acceptance where a young woman blindfolded is shown as accepting Unigenitus through ignorance. At space 15 there is the torn robe symbolising schism of the Church. The labyrinth here at space 16 symbolises error into which fall those who subscribe to the condemnation of the 101 propositions. The inn at space 19 is here the cabaret and represents the 'accommodation' accommodement or submission of the Jansenists to the bull. The Tower of Babel at space 24 represents the confusion of language into which the bull has fallen. At space 26 is the first appeal of 1717 represented by a notice on the Vatican door. At space 33 we find the avertissemens or pronouncements of the Archbishop of Soissons Jean-Joseph Languet de Gergy 1677-1753 a notorious anti-Jansenist and vehement defender of Unigenitus. He has an oboe a horn and a trumpet the three instruments symbolising 'his three avertissements and their different tones': a special rule refers to moving forward with the 'small dice' and with 'the other' when going back. Next is the prison at space 40 where the player must wait until a throw of 5 which multiplied by 3 will lead to Louis XV and deliverance. The well space 49 symbolises the body of doctrine in which the truth is hidden. At space 51 are the re-appealing Bishops the second appeal being at space 53. At space 55 is the portrait of Louis XV - enluminere XV in the book makes clear that he was seen as a force for change and re-unifying the Church. The death space at 58 shows the skeleton of Pope Clement XI sitting in an armchair wearing his papal tiara and raising his bony hand to bless an infant at his feet which represents the Unigenitus bull. Cardinal Noailles appears at the penultimate space 62 from which point 'one may only go backward'. The explanatory text in the centre of the game claims that it 'presages the day that the constitution of the Church will no longer be nothing but un Conte de ma Mère l'Oye' - a Mother Goose tale here used as a figure of speech for something unbelievable and ridiculous. The winning space at 63 shows that this result is to be achieved by a General Council in reference to that called for in 1717. De Bonnaire's book was condemned at Arras in 1726. Although his anonymity as author seems to have been effective in protecting him the publishers father and son were thrown into the Bastille. Even today the game has the power to shock by the force of its imagery. Philalete Belhumeur hardcover
1724rif. BB_88102Game of the Goose Poesies sur la Constitution Unigenitus. Recueillies par le Chevalier de G. Officier de Regiment de Champagne. Villefranche i.e. Amsterdam: Chez Philalete Belhumeur 1724. Two volumes. Illustrated with duplicate frontispieces title-vignettes and many decorative woodcut head- and tail-pieces. 8vo. i i xxiv 317 pp. – i i 389 pp.; uniform polished tree-calf extra-gilt all edges gilt covers with armorial gilt stamp. First edition thus greatly revised and expanded from an earlier version with essays letters poems reviews and songs with political Constitution religious Pope Clement XI and literary interest. Most important this work includes an essay titled "Essai du Nouveau Conte de Ma Mere L'Oye" NewTales of Mother Goose showing the influence of Perrault's tales barely twenty years after his death AND a handsome folding-out engraved board game titled "Le Jeu de la Constitution" designed in a race-game format. As a notable compilation of pro-Jansenist writings of an often satirical nature with the aforementioned board game and its five pages of rules on a folding plate. Selections include: "Les 101 propositions de la constitution Unigenitus exprimées en cent et un couplets"; "Ode pindarique sur la destruction du monastère de Port-Royal-des-Champs"; "Adieu d'une dame janséniste qui se refugie en Hollande". Brunet 4: 755. Weller 2: 88. Willaert 2: 9370. For the game see Phillippa Plock & Adrian Seville "Rothschild Collection of Printed Board Games at Waddesdon Manor" in: Of Boards and Men: Board Games Investigated Proceedings of the XIIIth Board Game Studies Colloquium Paris 14-17 April 2010 pp. 101-103: "B3 2669.2.25 Le Jeu de la Constitution - 1721/22 or to give its the full title Le Jeu / De la Constitution / Sur l'air du branle de Mets sic is one of the most controversial games ever devised on the pattern of the game of Goose and perhaps may be regarded as the first polemical variant Girard and Quétel 1982: 58 and 73. It dates from about 1721 but is associated with a book that appeared a year later the Essay Essai du Nouveau Conte de ma Mère l'Oye ou Les Enluminures de la Constitution. This book contains a folding plate of the game in smaller format and with some omission of text. It also contains 18 enluminures in rhymed couplets which explain the game in detail. The claimed author is given in the subtitle: 'Poesies sur la Constitution Unigenitus recuellies par le Chevalier de G. Officier du Regiment de Champagne'. The publisher is given as Philalete Belhumeur "Good Humour" Villefranche. These publication details are of course wholly fictitious as is the claimed author who in reality was the Abbe é Louis de Bonnaire 1680-1752; the book was published in Amsterdam the full-sheet game probably in Paris. De Bonnaire was a supporter of the Jansenist heresy named for Cornelius Jansen 1585-1638: this theology emphasised a particular reading of Augustine's idea of efficacious grace which stressed that only a certain portion of humanity were predestined to be saved. Though the Jansenists were strongly Catholic Jesuits and the papacy were suspicious of their beliefs which seemed to limit free will and the ability to choose to do good or evil. Despite condemnation by Pope Innocent X in 1655 the movement gained strong support in the Church. The Jansenist position as included in 101 of the propositions of Pasquier Quesnel Jansenist theologian b1634 d1719 in his Épitomé des Morales des Évangélistes of 1671 was finally condemned by Pope Clement XI's Unigenitus bull of 1713 but even this condemnation did little to diminish the enthusiasm of adherents. Indeed in 1717 four French Bishops attempted to appeal Unigenitus to a General Council a move that received considerable support from other clergy and the parlements though the majority of clergy stood by the Pope: Clement responded in the next year by excommunicating all those who had called for a General Council. Even so it was not until 1728 that the death of Jansenism was marked by the submission to the Pope's authority of Cardinal Noailles Archbishop of Paris who had originally approved Quesnel's book and was reluctant to support Unigenitus arguing that many of the 101 propositions were in fact orthodox. The point of the game and of De Bonnaire's book is to challenge and mock the authority of the Church and in particular that of the Pope and of his bull. For example the columns on either side are each headed by a cartoon depicting the Pope in council all present being represented by geese wearing mitres. Below the lefthand cartoon is the Latin phrase "Non ego cum Gruibus simul Anseribusque sedebo in Synodis - S. Greg. Nazianz Carm. 10" I shall not sit in Synod with cranes and geese. This refers to a dictum of Gregory of Nazianzus c329-390 Archbishop of Constantinople who compared the rowdy Council of Constantinople 381 AD to the loud cackling of a flock of geese. The 'good' spaces show the Apostles 'equal in number to that of the geese which they replace': there are thirteen including St Paul and they occupy the traditional spaces. The traditional hazards are likewise replaced or given special significance and others are added. The usual entry arch appears as Noah's Ark at space 1 symbolising the Church as it is tossed about on the waters of Unigenitus. The bridge of explanations at the expected space 6 shows bishops falling into the water marking their error in taking the wrong sense of the 101 propositions: it leads to space 12 acceptance where a young woman blindfolded is shown as accepting Unigenitus through ignorance. At space 15 there is the torn robe symbolising schism of the Church. The labyrinth here at space 16 symbolises error into which fall those who subscribe to the condemnation of the 101 propositions. The inn at space 19 is here the cabaret and represents the 'accommodation' accommodement or submission of the Jansenists to the bull. The Tower of Babel at space 24 represents the confusion of language into which the bull has fallen. At space 26 is the first appeal of 1717 represented by a notice on the Vatican door. At space 33 we find the avertissemens or pronouncements of the Archbishop of Soissons Jean-Joseph Languet de Gergy 1677-1753 a notorious anti-Jansenist and vehement defender of Unigenitus. He has an oboe a horn and a trumpet the three instruments symbolising 'his three avertissements and their different tones': a special rule refers to moving forward with the 'small dice' and with 'the other' when going back. Next is the prison at space 40 where the player must wait until a throw of 5 which multiplied by 3 will lead to Louis XV and deliverance. The well space 49 symbolises the body of doctrine in which the truth is hidden. At space 51 are the re-appealing Bishops the second appeal being at space 53. At space 55 is the portrait of Louis XV - enluminere XV in the book makes clear that he was seen as a force for change and re-unifying the Church. The death space at 58 shows the skeleton of Pope Clement XI sitting in an armchair wearing his papal tiara and raising his bony hand to bless an infant at his feet which represents the Unigenitus bull. Cardinal Noailles appears at the penultimate space 62 from which point 'one may only go backward'. The explanatory text in the centre of the game claims that it 'presages the day that the constitution of the Church will no longer be nothing but un Conte de ma Mère l'Oye' - a Mother Goose tale here used as a figure of speech for something unbelievable and ridiculous. The winning space at 63 shows that this result is to be achieved by a General Council in reference to that called for in 1717. De Bonnaire's book was condemned at Arras in 1726. Although his anonymity as author seems to have been effective in protecting him the publishers father and son were thrown into the Bastille. Even today the game has the power to shock by the force of its imagery. Philalete Belhumeur hardcover books