[BELLA STEFANO, Della - DESMARETS DE SAINT-SORLIN, Jean]. [P - Lot 117

[BELLA STEFANO, Della - DESMARETS DE SAINT-SORLIN, Jean]. [PEDAGOGICAL MAPS]. [1644].1 vol. in-8. Contemporary full calf, gilt fillets framing the boards with corner fleurons, ornate ribbed spine, gilt title to the spine, worn binding, damage to the headbands, jaws, corners bumped. Cartes des Rois de France: set of 39 engraved maps, preceded by a title-frontispiece. Followed by : Jeu des Reynes renommées: 52 engraved cards preceded by a title-frontispiece. These queens are classified by 4 under a common adjective: gallant, impudent, cruel. Geography: 52 engraved maps preceded by a title-frontispiece. They are divided into sections of 13 maps per continent. Countries are represented by figures. Paris, Henri Le Gras, s. d. Set of 146 engravings, including three title-frontispieces. The maps are laminated. They are decorated with a vignette (or several vignettes for the Kings) and an explanatory text engraved below. The engravings are by Jean Desmarets de Saint-Sorlin, engraved by Della Bella Stefano. Small worm gallery in the margins of some leaves. Commissioned by Mazarin, Jean Desmarets de Saint-Sorlin and Stefano Della Bella invented and engraved in 1644 four educational games for the education of young Louis XIV: the game of the kings of France, the game of famous queens, the game of fables and the game of geography. "At Mazarin's request, in 1644 and 1645, academician Jean Desmarets de Saint-Sorlin and Florentine engraver Stefano Della Bella produced the first French educational card games to teach history, geography and fables to the young Louis XIV." (BNF, catalog Les Jeux Pédagogiques by Thierry Depaulis and Michel Manson) Extremely rare. The copy in the Louvre's Department of Graphic Arts contains the same number of plates per suite. It has an additional set of Fables. Binding rubbed, with sales to jaws, missing headpieces, corners heavily dulled, spotting. Armorial and engraved bookplate "Ex Museo Antonii Nicolaï Gavinet. Lugdunensis Academ. Scientiarum Litterarum et Artiam", pasted on the flyleaf.