Battle of the sexes
CARVALHO, Joao Jorge de.
Gaticanea, ou, Cruelissima guerra entre os caes, e os gatos, decidida em huma sanguinolenta batalha na grande praca da Real Villa de Mafra...
Lisbon: Francisco Luiz Ameno, 1781.
8vo (165 × 95 mm), pp. [iv], xi, [1], 126, [2]. Engraved frontispiece and 2 large folding plates depicting the battle between the cats and dogs, woodcut and typographical ornaments. Contemporary mottled sheep, spine gilt, red sprinkled edges. Slight darkening and rubbing to spine only. An excellent copy, wonderfully crisp and fresh.
First edition of this marvellously illustrated mock epic, a battle of the sexes between cats (women) and dogs (men) in the Portuguese town of Mafra. The author includes numerous contemporary political and society figures. The two large folding plates by Manuel da Silva Godinho are fine evocations of the battle and one is set before the enormous baroque palace of Mafra, the folly of royal extravagance that had nearly bankrupted the Portuguese kingdom earlier in the century. There were two issues of the first edition, one (as here) with a directions to binder leaf at end, the other without, but no precedence has been established. It was reprinted in 1816 and 1828.
£1400.00
US$2783.05*
* Given as a guide only. Based on an exchange rate of £1 = US$1.987896 for the day 5 July 2008 but liable to fluctuate.
5 July 2008