LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2007 October Rare Books & Manuscripts #675  / 

30863

1804 First Edition of Code Cevil Des Francais

Currency:USD Category:Antiques Start Price:1,350.00 USD Estimated At:1,500.00 - 2,500.00 USD
1804 First Edition of Code Cevil Des Francais
<B>1804 First Edition of </B></I><B><I>Code Cevil Des Francais</B></I></B></I> <B>, the Napoleonic Code, owned and annotated by Albert Schweitzer, from the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Lambaréné, Gabon.</B></I> (Paris: L'Imprimerie de la Republique, 1804), first edition, 556 pages, full leather binding with gilt lettering on the spine, 32mo (2" x 4.25"). The front pastedown is stamped "Hôpital du Dr Schweitzer Lambaréné, Gabon." Upon seizing control of the French government around the turn of the 19th century, Napoleon I ordered the institution of a French civil code. He employed four of France's most esteemed jurists to draft the laws, which they completed in early 1804. The resulting <I>Code Cevil Des Francais</B></I> shortly became known simply as the Napoleonic Code. The Code was based on established French law, as well as Roman law codified under Justinian's <I>Corpus Juris Civilis,</B></I> and was designed to establish a single set of laws for the French people. The confusing and sometimes contradictory laws under the feudal and royal systems were now replaced with a legal structure informed by the ideals of the French Revolution. This example of the 1804 first edition belonged to Dr. Albert Schweitzer, French missionary physician to equatorial Africa and winner of the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize. The ink stamp on the front pastedown indicates that the book belonged to Schweitzer's hospital in Gabon, Africa. It is fascinating that Schweitzer annotated this diminutive first-edition copy in his own painstaking, near-microscopic handwriting. Additionally, there are a pair of facial profile line drawings under the stamp that more than likely were drawn by Schweitzer, as he was an accomplished artist in addition to his many other talents. This example of <I>Code Cevil Des Francais</B></I> is in about very good condition, especially considering its 200 year life span. The leather covers show some edge, corner, and spine wear, with some rubbing to the boards present as well. The front board has a 1.5" crack at the bottom right. The front inner hinge is a touch shaken at the tail, but still sound. The interior textblock has only faint age-toning and mild, scattered foxing, with occasional holographic notations by a previous owner. Altogether, this little book of Napoleonic law is a unique tome, quite possibly owned by one of the medical profession's most famous missionaries.<BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Books & Catalogs (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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