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Presentation copy by the author with the 9 extra lithographed plates

GENDRIN, Victor-Athanase.
Récit historique, exact et sincère, par mer et par terre, de quatre voyages faits au Brésil, au Chili, dans les Cordillères des Andes, à Mendoza, dans le Désert, et à Buénos-Aires.

With lithographed portrait of the author,

With lithographed portrait of the author,

With lithographed portrait of the author,

With lithographed portrait of the author,

With lithographed portrait of the author,



Versailles, Gendrin, auteur-éditeur, 1856 (bound 1858). 8vo. Contemporary green morocco, spine gilt with title lettered in gold, gilt dedication "Offert par V.-A. Gendrin a la Bibliothèque de la ville de Cahors 1858" on front cover and gilt ornamental vignette on back cover, blind tooled borders on sides. With lithographed portrait of the author, "fait la veille de son départ pour le Brésil en 1816, D'après le croquis de Mr Heim, membre de l'Institut", signed 'Lith. Hayet', 1 map of South-America composed according to indications of the author by Lith. Hayet and 8 lithographed plates of events and places of the voyages. Together with the added 15 pp. with lithographed preface by the author, extracts from the reviews of the book and 13 letters of acknowledgement by different receivers of a presentation copy. (12), XX, 571 pp.

First edition of this valuable report on 7 voyages made in South-America by the French merchant Victor-Athanase Gendrin (b. 1793). This copy was presented in 1858 by the author to the Bibliothèque de Cahors. The book tells of the life and business of a small shopkeeper in Rio de Janeiro and of a travelling salesman in Chile and Argentina. It is divided into 3 parts devoted to 7 voyages: to Brazil, to Chile, to the Cap-Horn, to the 'Cordillères des Andes', to Mendoza, to the desert and to Buenos Aires. It contains details of the country and the daily life of a shopkeeper during the first years of the 19th century, and therefore constitutes an important document on the conditions of French salesmen in South America. It is "the only book about the lives in Brazil of the small French traders, the 'pacotilleurs'" [Borba de Moraes].
Gendrin travelled to Rio de Janeiro in 1816, where he started a shop in which he sold snuff, snuff-boxes, mirrors, brushes, watches, china and other small articles. His business went very well, but he decided to try his luck in Valparaiso, Chile. He also started a business in Santiago, where he experienced the earthquake of 1822. Subsequently, he crossed the Andes to reach Buenos Aires and returned to France in 1823. He had earned enough money to profit from it for the rest of his life. The half-title reads: "Le Passe-temps ou L'Industriel devenu commerçant. Ouvrage inédit". As the book was published by the author himself, the edition was probably small, and copies are not easy to find.

Good copy.- (One hinge weak, water stain in half-title, some slightly browning and foxing at places).
Garraux, p. 121; Berger, p. 124; Borba de Moraes I, p. 348; Brasilien-Bibliothek der Robert Bosch GmbH 482.

Related Subjects: America, North  Brazil  Cartography  Chile  Commerce 

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