Samuel Bochart - Geographiae sacrae pars prior Phaleg - 1646-1646

Caen, Pierre de Cardonnel, 1646.
Large in-folio volume; half calfskin, spine with 6 nerves. (Period binding), introduction, pp. 15-16. Very beautiful printed work from Caen. It is decorated with 3 maps out of 4 engraved by burin, signed 'R. Hubert Cadomi' (Middle East, Mediterranean basin, Sicily), and a table.
The story of the book is curious. Pierre de Cardonnel was a wealthy Protestant bourgeois eager to set up a printing press. He called upon Jean Jannon, a type founder and printer from Sedan, and began printing this volume. Unfortunately, in the early days of 1644, Cardonnel was denounced to the Parliament of Rouen as operating a clandestine printing press, and by a decree on March 4th, he was ordered by the lieutenant general of police in Caen to seize the types.