Memories are long on Ex Libris, and I am hoping some of you can search
them for information to help me in a frustrating quest. I am preparing
an article on the notable illustrated manuscript on North America by the
17thC Jesuit Louis Nicolas, known as the “Codex Canadiensis,” which is
owned by the Thomas Gilcrease Institute near Tulsa, Oklahoma. I have of
course seen the manuscript – that’s not the issue. My question to the
list has to do with the manuscript’s travels *before* it came into
Thomas Gilcrease’s hands in 1949, when he bought it from H.P. Kraus.
The manuscript, its authorship then unknown, emerged into history very
late – about 1930, the date when a facsimile was published in Paris by
Maurice Chamonal; at that time it was reported to be from the Royal
Library; the binding, which appears to be authentic (believe me, I’ve
checked!) bears the arms of Louis XIV. However, it is not known how the
manuscript came to Chamonal. A 1931 reference to its presence in the
“collection Valtat” does not make it clear whether the manuscript was in
this collection before 1930 or afterwards. I have found no references to
such a collection as yet, and am wondering if it was that of the “fauve”
painter, Louis Valtat (1869-1952). Valtat lived a fairly modest life,
but by 1927 had attained the Legion of Honour. It would not be
surprising to find an artist buying a manuscript with interesting
illustrations. I’ve asked the current Valtat heir, but he knows nothing
about either the manuscript or such a collection. But of course it could
be some other Valtat. By 1934 the manuscript was in the sale room,
offered as item 328 in the 1934 catalogue of Georges Andrieux, and some
time after 1939 the Codex came into the hands of Kraus in New York.
My problem is two-fold: what can be learned about the provenance of the
manuscript before ca. 1930, and not incidentally, what information can I
find about the death date of Louis Nicolas (reported on little or no
evidence to be 1682). If there is anyone on the list who has information
of any sort that might help me, I’d be grateful to communicate off-list.
Thanks for any help, Germaine.
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Germaine Warkentin // English (Emeritus)
VC 205, Victoria College (University of Toronto),
73 Queen's Park Crescent East, Toronto, Ont. M5S 1K7, CANADA
g.warkentin@utoronto.ca (fax number on request)
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