1742 – History of Freemasonry | Anderson & La Tierce | French Masonic Constitutions

Histoire, obligations et statuts de la tres venerable confraternité des Francs-Maçons is a 1742 translation of James Anderson’s famous Freemasonry constitutions. Collected and edited by Louis-François de La Tierce, this book covers the preparations for continental lodges during the early spread of Freemasonry in Europe. It includes descriptions of historical freemasonry traditions connected with ancient lodges, discussion of Roman builders through the age of Constantine, formal obligations expected of members, directions for forming new lodges, and a section of Masonic songs associated with lodge gatherings.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Histoire, obligations et statuts de la tres venerable confraternité des Francs-Maçons tirez de leurs archives et conformes aux traditions les plus anciennes
• Author(s): James Anderson
• Contributor(s): Louis-François de La Tierce (Editor; Translator)
• Publisher: Chez François Varrentrapp, A Francfort sur le Meyn
• Edition: 1742. First edition.
• Binding: Full leather, gilt cover border
• Format: (16mo), single volume
• Size:  6.25 in x 4 in (16 cm x 10 cm)
• Collation: 283 pp
• Contents Include:
  • Foundations of ancient lodges
  • Defense of the Freemasons
  • History of Freemasons to Constantine the Great
  • Obligations of a Freemason
  • Forming a new lodge
  • Songs of the Freemasons

Condition:

Very Good. Full leather binding remains tight and secure with gilt border visible on the covers. Corners show mild wear. Red page edges retained. Pages generally clean with light age toning typical of eighteenth-century paper.

Why Collect This?

• Early continental printing connected with Anderson’s Masonic Constitutions
• French language text circulated among European lodges
• Frankfurt printing during the early expansion of Freemasonry

• Suitable for collectors of fraternal societies and early Masonic literature

Item Number: #50154