LUXEMBOURG'S FIRST NEWSPAPER

JORDAN, CLAUDE.

La Clef du Cabinet des princes de l'Europe, ou Recuëil historique & politique sur les matieres du tems. Vols. 1-18, 20-30, 32-38 (+) Supplement de la clef ou journal historique sur les matieres du tems. vol. 1-2.

(Luxembourg), Jacques le Sincere (and later:) Andre Chevalier, 1704 - 1723.

8vo. Bound almost uniformly in 38 contemporary full calf bindings with five raised bands and richly gilt spines. Paper-label pasted on to top of spines and ex-libris pasted on to pasted down front end-papers. Light wear to extremities, boards with scratches, occassionally with loss of leather, and spines with light miscolouring and occassional loss of the gilt ornamentation. 
Vol. 1-18, 20-30, 32-38 and the 2 supplement volumes (both 1713).

The exceedingly rare first edition of Luxembourg’s first newspaper, and periodical in general, which appeared for the first time in July 1704. It was then published monthly, without interruption, until July 1794.
The early volumes of the journal are rarely found in trade and we have not been able to trace a single multiple-volume set with the supplement included.

Behind the newspaper were initially the librarian, printer and journalist Claude Jordan (born around 1659) from Valence, and the printer André Chevalier (1660-1747), a Frenchman from Bourg-en-Bresse, who had a printing press in Luxembourg city. Jordan had previously published the Gazettes de Hollande in Leyden and Amsterdam. In 1704, the two joined forces to produce a newspaper from Luxembourg aimed at the Lorraine region (which was then independent of France) and the French market, following the model of the Gazettes de Hollande.

Order-nr.: 61629