RARE ‘ANA’ TITLE - “STILL A WAY TO LAUGH”

[Frederick II, King of Prussia] Frédéricana, ou recueil d’anecdotes, bons mots et traits piquans de Frédéric II, Roi de Prusse. A Paris, chez Lemarchand, libraire, place de l’Ecole, no. 1, en face du café Manoury An IX [1801].

Rare humorous publication containing life and anecdotes of Frederick II, King of Prussia, the patron of Voltaire (who features in the work). It was one of a series of titles ending “-ana” sold by this bookseller, priced at a franc a volume, and including volumes for Voltaire (”Voltériana”), Napoleon (”Bonapartiana”), and Molière (”Moliériana”). The bookseller advertises them as “still a way to laugh”. Literary collections with titles ending ‘-ana’ were a form of text dating back to the sixteenth century. Their first bibliography seems to have been published in 1716 (Namur).

Details

First edition. One volume, 13.3 cms. x 8.5 cms., in 18mo., pp. [4] xxiv, + frontispiece, engraved and etched by Edmé Bovinet (1767-1834). One-page bookseller’s ads. to verso of title-page. Bound with half-title. Light browning, a very good copy, bound in contemporary wood-patterned pastepaper, spine calf gilt with orange morocco gilt label, corners tipped with calf, edges sprinkled blue (binding rubbed, slightly worn, loss and peeling to spine). Inscription to front pastedown, “Coll: + perf: FCB. 8 Sept. 1853”.

Bibliography:

P. Namur, Bibliographie des ouvrages publiés sous le nom d’ana (Brussels 1839), 22, see also XVI (bibliographies). OCLC shows copies of present work at Harvard, Sachsische Landesbibliothek Dresden, Universitatsbibliothek Leipzig, and University of Sheffield (UK).