AUTHOR: MARCO POLO

LANGUAGE: FRENCH

DATE: 1410-1412

PAGE #: 607

REPRODUCTION DIMENSIONS: 11.75 X 8.75 IN

HISTORY/DESCRIPTION: THE ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON MARCO POLO'S FASCINATING AND ADVENTUROUS TRAVELS, RANKS AMONGST THE MOST FAMOUS MANUSCRIPTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES, AND IS CONSIDERED A HIGHLIGHT OF FRENCH BOOK DECORATION. UNLIKE EARLIER FACSIMILES THAT ONLY INCLUDED 192 PAGES OF THIS BEAUTIFUL MANUSCRIPT, OUR FACSIMILE INCLUDES THE ENTIRE BOOK OF 607 PAGES.

MARCO POLO'S WORLD TRAVELS IS THE STORY WHICH INSPIRED THE BEST BOOK ILLUMINATORS TO THIS TRUE MASTERPIECE AS THAT OF THE MERCHANT MARCO POLO WHOSE FATHER AND UNCLE HAD ALREADY TRAVELLED TO ASIA FROM 1261 TO 1269. IN 1271 THEY HEADED AGAIN FOR THIS CONTINENT TAKING THE YOUNG MARCO WITH THEM. THEIR JOURNEY TOOK THREE AND A HALF EVENTFUL YEARS. DURING WHICH THEY COVERED A GREAT DISTANCE, FROM PALESTINE TO PERSIA AND ON TO THE PERSIAN GULF, THROUGH PAKISTAN, THE PAMIRS, AND ON TO THE NORTH OF CHINA. THERE THE TRAVELLERS REACHED THE LEGENDARY COURT OF THE MONGOL RULER KUBLAI KHAN. SPEAKING A FEW LANGUAGES AND READING THE MONGOL SCRIPT, MARCO POLO OFFERED HIS SERVICES TO THE KHAN, WHO SOON GAINED CONFIDENCE IN HIM. SUBSEQUENTLY, KUBLAI KHAN ENTRUSTED MARCO WITH CONFIDENTIAL MISSIONS WHICH LED HIM THROUGH LARGE PARTS OF EASTERN ASIA, BUT ALSO TO SOME REGIONS OF SOUTHERN ASIA. MARCO POLO HAD TO WAIT UNTIL 1292 TO BE ALLOWED TO TRAVEL BACK TO EUROPE; THIS TIME THE JOURNEY TOOK HIM ACROSS THE SEA, ALONG THE COASTS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN, THROUGH BAGHDAD TO VENICE WHERE HE SETTLED DOWN TO LEAD A NORMAL FAMILY LIFE.

REPRODUCTION DETAILS: OUR HARDCOVER BOOKS ARE MADE WITH REAL WOOD FOR THE INTERIOR OF THE FRONT AND BACK COVERS AS WELL AS THE SPINE. THE LEATHER IS A 4 OZ COWHIDE, FROM A SMALL SUPPLIER IN NORTH CAROLINA. THE LEATHER IS ADHERED TO THE COVERS WITH GLUE AND MOLDED INTO THE SHAPE AT THE HAND OF OUR LOCAL ARTISANS. THE SIGNATURES/PAGES ARE HANDSEWN USING A LIBRARY BINDING METHOD. THE SEWN BOOK IS BOUND WITH A STRONG ADHESIVE GLUE THAT MAKES THE BINDINGS LAST, ESPECIALLY FOR THE LARGER BOOKS. WE ALSO ADD A THICK MULL CLOTH TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE BINDING, DRYING IN BETWEEN EACH LAYER, A TRADITIONAL WAY TO MAKE THE BINDING STIFF, STRONG, AND RESILIENT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

NOTE: ALL OF OUR FACSIMILES ARE MADE TO ORDER. PLEASE ALLOW 4-6 WEEKS FOR NOTIFICATION OF SHIPMENT.