Explorations No 5 – Jul 1987

WALLACE KIRSOP, Foreword

Keywords: Jean Rosemberg, Baudin in Australian Waters

PATRICIA GRAY, Prospectuses in the Book Trade

A brief presentation of the history of the ephemeral genre of prospectuses in the book trade, designed to promote the sale of books. In 18th century France prospectuses became mandatory when the reading public was invited to subscribe to a publishing venture. Prospectuses are scarce as they are often disposed of once the book they promote has appeared. They are of particular interest to cultural and book historians. The article discusses the survival of prospectuses in specialist collections.

Keywords: Monash University Library, publicity, publication by subscription

WALLACE KIRSOP, The Péron-Freycinet Prospectuses; The April Prospectus; The May Prospectus

The author describes two early 19th century prospectuses promoting subscriptions to the Voyage de découvertes aux Terres australes (known as the Baudin expedition, 1800-1804) by Péron and Freycinet. Facsimile versions of both prospectuses, dated April and May 1824 respectively (the originals of which are held in the Monash University Library), are reproduced in this issue of Explorations. The volumes promoted in the prospectuses appeared between June 1824 and January 1825.

Keywords: Bibliographie de la France, Louis de Freycinet, Péron, Lesueur, Baudin, Le Géographe, Le Naturaliste, Le Casuarine

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