LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2007 December Signature Texana Auction #661  / 

56004

Le Texas, A Rarity Published in 1819

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Paper Start Price:2,300.00 USD Estimated At:3,850.00 - 5,500.00 USD
Le Texas, A Rarity Published in 1819
<B>L. Hartmann & Millard: </B></I><B><I>Le Texas, ou notice historique sur le Champ d'Asile,</B></I></B></I> <I>Comprenant tout ce qui s'est passe depuis la formation jusqu' a la dissolution de cette Colonie, les causes qui l'ont amenee, et la liste de tous les Colons Francais, avec des renseiguemens utiles a  leurs familles, et le plan du camp, DEDIE A MESSIEURS LES SOUSCRIPTEURS en favour des Refugies; Par MM. Hartmann et Millard. </B></I>(A Paris: Chez Beguin, et al, Juin 1819). First Edition. Twelvemo (8.5" x 5.25"). Illustrated with folding engraved frontispiece plan of fort: <I>Champ D'Asile</B></I> (6.5" x 9.5"). ix [x] [11] 12-135 pages. Attractively bound in marbled paper wrappers, printed paper spine label. Housed in a handsome custom quarter red morocco over red cloth clamshell case, the spine in compartments with five raised bands and lettered in gilt. <I>From the collection of Darrel Brown.</B></I><BR><BR><B>Reference: </B></I><I>Basic Texas Books</B></I> 85: "Best contemporary account of the ill-fated colony of Napoleonic refugees in Texas. Of the four accounts by contemporaries, Thomas W. Streeter calls this one 'an indispensable source and by far the best of the group.' Besides giving an eyewitness account of one of the most fascinating events in Texas history, it includes much valuable information on Texas during a period that still remains historically clouded. Lallemand, in founding Champ d'Asile near present-day Liberty, intended to start a massive French colony which might ultimately begin a movement to win the throne of Mexico for Joseph Bonaparte. The group of about 150 colonists landed at Galveston on January 14, 1818, and sailed up the Trinity River on March 20 to build their colony. Attempts were made to make peace with Jean Laffite, whose pirate band was then operating out of Galveston. When the Spanish governor of Texas sent a force against the colonists, they abandoned the settlement in late July and retreated to Galveston. They were saved from starvation by Laffite, who helped them get to New Orleans. Although attempts were made to renew the colony, the project languished." Eberstadt 162:386: "Streeter calls the book... the most sought after of those 'relating to that colorful episode in Texas history.'" <I>Fifty Texas Rarities</B></I> 6. Howes H270. Monaghan 792. Rader 1807. Raines, page 109. Sabin 30706. Streeter 1069: "This is the second of three books relating to Champ d'Asile published in Paris in 1819.... <I>Le Texas</B></I>, which is in the form of two diaries, the first at pages [11]-111 by Hartmann and the second, at pages 112-132, by Millard, is the only one of the three to give a brief but more or less consecutive account of the founding of the colony, the life there, the retreat to Galveston, and the dispersal of the colonists to the four winds." Ron Tyler, in his preliminary research on nineteenth-century lithographs of Texas notes the four earliest lithographs of Texas (all of which relate to Champ d'Asile) were created in 1818.<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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