1726 – History of Valentin and Orson | Famous Carolingian Romance Legends

Histoire de Valentin et Orson, or History of Valentin and Orson, is work of French romance prose about twin brothers Valentin and Orson. Valentin, raised as a courtly knight under Pepin of France meets his long lost twin Orson who grew up as a wild man in a bear’s cave. The story follows their meeting, their fight and reconciliation, and their journey to rescue their mother.

This 1726 French chapbook was bound in full- vellum and represents the popularity of medieval romance in18th-century France.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Histoire de Valentin et Orson : très-hardis, très-nobles et très-vaillans chevaliers, fils de l’empereur de Grece, & neveux du très-vaillant & très-chrétien Pepin, roi de France
• Publisher: A Troyes, Chez Pierre Garnier
• Edition: 1726.
• Binding: Full vellum
• Format: (8vo), single volume
• Size:  8.5 in x 6.75 in (22 cm x 17 cm)
• Collation: 137, [3] pp
• Contents Include:
  • Narrative of the twin brothers Valentin and Orson
  • References to legendary Pepin, king of France

Condition:

Good. Full vellum binding heavily wrinkled and warped though secure. Page edges show wear. Text block remains intact and legible with age toning typical of early popular printings.

Why Collect This?

• Eighteenth century Troyes chapbook linked to the Bibliothèque bleue trade
• Popular medieval French romance connected with Carolingian legend

Item Number: #50150