Godalles, Thomas Bonaventure

outlining French claims to the island, recounting the discovery of L'isle de Terre-Neuve in 1497 by Jean Cabot, and by French and Portuguese fishermen in 1500-1506, disputing English claims (based on its acquisition under Sir Humphrey Gilbert in 1583), and describing its various names, including "Newfoundland"; the title-page reads "Succincte et très veritable & authentique relation de la decouverture, & frequentation, que habitation, & par qui, & en quel temps, de l'isle de terre-neuve, le grand Banc, & Banc-Jacquet, &c dressée selon le rapport que'en font tous les Historiens, & copitateurs de ces temps là, qui sont françois, Espagnols, Portugais, Anglois, Italiens, & Belges, qui traittent de touttes les anciennes decouvertes, qui ont estée faites, en faveur de la navigation, & de droits de chaque nation, a S. Malo...MDCCX", frontispiece coat of arms (the dedicatee Monsieur de Beauvais Grout) and text calligraphically written in red and black ink, 39 pages, small 4to (195 x 140mm.), watermark: "H Cusson" 

the large folding maritime map of Newfoundland, showing the coast of Labrador and the sandbanks, including the Grand Banc de Terre-Neuve and the Banc de St Jacquet, c.570 x 630mm., bound into the front of the volume, tear crudely repaired with translucent paper, folds reinforced and repaired on verso



4to (200 x 145mm.), contemporary vellum boards, blind-ruled panels to covers, raised bands, manuscript title to top compartment, marbled end-papers, engraved armorial bookplate of the dedicatee de Beauvais Grout

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This large maritime chart of Newfoundland predates that by J.N. Bellin (1744).  The Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris has two manuscript coastal maps by Godalles, one also of Newfoundland "Carte de la coste angloise de Terre-Neuve", dated 1712 (map GE SH 18 PF 128 DIV 3 P 4) and one of the coast of Argentina, "Brève et démontrée relation de la nouvelle découverte d'un grand enfoncement ou baye en la coste occidentale de la terre de feu en l'Amérique méridionale", dated Saint Malo, 15 October 1717 (map GE SH 18 PF 168 DIV 11 P 1 D).  The dedicatee and owner of the present manuscript, M^r de Beauvais-Grout, is described as "capitaine du Grand Saint Esprit, cy devant le Curieux" , in Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève ms. 1798 (1711-1718).  Despite Godalles's claims, in 1713 the French ceded most of Terre-Neuve to the British under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht.