Traite sur les Vins du Medoc et les Autres Vins Rouges et Blancs du Departement de la Gironde - Wm. Franck 1853 - P. Chaumas, Bordeaux - Third and enlarged edition. A finely bound third and enlarged edition of ‘the first major book dealing solely with the wines of Bordeaux’ (Jancis Robinson - Oxford Companion to Wine.), and one of the first Bordeaux classifications.

Beautifully illustrated throughout, with three engraved title pages by Pauquet, and twenty full-page illustrations including five lithographs and fifteen woodblocks, nineteen of which show the principle Châteaux and one shows the harvest in Medoc. In addition to the illustrations are numerous tables (five folding).

Bound in are the original illustrated wrappers, and as with many examples of the third edition, this copy does not have the large folding colour map.
  ‘Expanded edition of this classic. The title announces 22 views of châteaux, but the publisher Chaumes used the same woodblocks and lithographs for other works, especially Biarnez, copies of this third edition of Franck often have different numbers of plates and are missing the map.

The editor says that the first edition was published in 1824 [see Fritsch 310] and was followed by a second in 1845, which sold out quickly. Mr. Franck, in Germany at this time, has given his consent and support for a new edition, which has been brought up to date with the help of people familiar with the individual areas, and the material has been expanded to almost twice that of the first edition. There is new material on the vineyards producing white wine, evaluation of vintages since 1815, prices realized by the principal domains, export of wines from the Gironde during the period of English domination — in the 18th century and during the years 1814 to 1852. Tables listing export figures are new.

Another new chapter is on the “importance of a synonymy for grapevines” [53-61], written by A. Petit-Lafitte, and including a discussion of the early work done by Abbé Rozier on a collection of vines. Rozier's work was interrupted by the Revolution. He sold his property in 1788, retired to Lyon, and died during the siege of that city, struck in his bed by a bomb. The Luxembourg collection in Paris was formed 1820-1825 by Chaptal and Bosc, the latter having described 450 varieties at the time of his death in 1828, with notes on an additional 100. A new collection was formed under the auspices of the Linnaean Society of Bordeaux, and located at Château de Carbonnieux, with 534 cuttings of 267 of the varieties assembled by Bosc. By 1843, Bouchereau was able to catalog 919 varieties in this collection, and in 1844 the Luxembourg collection in Paris was restored, with a total of 2000 items, mostly saved from destruction in 1848. Among other collections mentioned is that of Le Comte Odart, at that time on the second edition of his Ampélographie Universelle.

About the attempt at a classification of the growths of the Médoc [198-210], the editors allow that there will be some differences of opinion, that there are some ambitious claims out there which are not supported by the market. But this classification has been seen by very knowledgeable persons and has obtained their approval [2].

It is interesting to note from the tables of wine exports that shipments to the United States passed the 100,000 hectoliter mark in 1848, and in 1850 and 1851 it reached 135,000 and 162,000 respectively, surpassing even the Hanseatic cities, which had been the leaders up to that time. All in all, the material presented in this book is very interesting, and it serves as great preparation for the Cocks and Féret series, though with some overlap in the early years. Simon (BV & BG) lists the first through seventh editions — 1824, 1845, 1853, 1860, 1864 [364 pp.], 1868 [366pp.],1871. Vicaire(372) describes the 6th edition of 1868 and mentions the first of 1824 and others of 1845, 1858 [s/b 1853?], 1864, 1867 and 1871. The second edition (Chaumas, 1845) was reprinted in 1978 — Bordeaux, Société des bibliophiles de Guyenne (xiv, 244, 5ff plates). A third German edition was published in Magdeburg, 1848.’

With gracious thanks to Eberhard Buehler,
Viniana, for the information above.

References: Eberhard Buehler,
Viniana, DEF 118-9. [1853 with 26 plates [23 chateaux, 1 harvest scene + 2 title leaves] + a large folding color map, Viniana F119 same edition - 25 plates [22 chateaux, 1 harvest scene + 2 title leaves+missing the map. Simon, Bibliotheca Vinaria, 94-5, Bibliotheca Gastronomica, 69. Bitting Gastronomic Bibliography, 165. Lambert 444. Vicaire Bibliographie Gastronomique, 372. Oberlé, Bibliothèque Bachique/Fritsch, 310.

Octavo (binding size 22x14.2cm), pp. [2] [2 (publisher’s front wrapper, with engraved plate of Ch. Dillon tipped on to verso)] [4] 326 [1 (publisher’s ads)] [1] [(five folding tables)] [2 (publisher’s illustrated rear wrappers)] [2].
  In modern black quarter half morocco over marbled boards, spine lettered and ruled in gilt, publisher s original wrappers bound in to front and rear.   Condition: Fine with the exception of the wrappers which are lightly soiled, in fine binding.   Ref: 103465   Price: HK$ 4,500