THE FIRST EXTENSIVE WORK ON LAPLAND AND THE LAPPS
SCHEFFER, JEAN (i.e. Johannes).
Histoire de la Laponie, Sa Description, L'Origine, Les Moeurs, La maniere de vivre de ses Habitans, leur Religion, leur Magie, & les choses rares du Païs. Avec pusieurs Additions & Augmentations fort curieuses, qui jusques-icy n'ont pas eté imprimées. Traduite du Latin.
Paris, Olivier de Varennes, 1678.
4to. Lovely contemporary full mottled calf with five raised bands to richly gilt spine. Spine with signs of wear and cords just showing at the front hinge. But overall very nice indeed. Internally very nice, clean, and fresh. Printed on good paper and with good margins. With the Coyet-book plate from the Torup estate to inside of front board. Engraved title, (14), 408 pp. + 1 folded engraved map, 21 engraved plates and 7 engraved illustrations in the text.
The scarce first edition of the first French translation of the first extensive work on Lapland and the Lapps. This highly important work by Johannes Schefferus - Skyttean professor of Eloquence and Government at Uppsala University and one of the most important humanists in Sweden at that time - originally appeared in Latin, in 1673 and was soon translated into French, English, German, and Dutch. It constitutes one of the earliest works on the Saami and is considered a basic source of information on Saami religion and beliefs. Scheffer had been commissioned by the King of Sweden to undertake a study of the Saami, primarily because rumors circulated widely in Europe about the heathen traditions and magic allegedly flourishing among the Lapps. The rumors were based uopn unserious and unfounded studies that the Swedish sought to correct. Schefferbased his work on both his own experiences among the Saami and the extensive collections of manuscripts and artifacts at Upsalla.
Order-nr.: 60089
DKK 20.000,00