Charles MAUNOIR (1830-1901) geographer. 55 L.A.S., Paris 187 - Lot 381

Charles MAUNOIR (1830-1901) geographer. 55 L.A.S., Paris 1873-1898, to Léon Garnier; 130 pages in-8 or in-12, numerous Société de Géographie letterheads. Beautiful correspondence evoking Francis Garnier, the famous explorer of Indochina. A former soldier turned geographer, Charles Maunoir published numerous articles and memoirs in scholarly journals such as L'Année géographique and the Bulletin de la Société de Géographie. From 1867 to 1896, he was General Secretary of the Société de Géographie. His correspondent, Léon Garnier (1836-1901), was the brother of the famous explorer Francis Garnier (1839-1873), known for his important voyage through Indochina and southern China from 1866 to 1868. The correspondence concerns Francis Garnier, his relatives and various publications relating to his expedition: publication of the printed account of the voyage (1873); reading of a report to the Société de Géographie; provision of a sum of 3,000 F for Francis Garnier; request from the director of the Revue des Deux Mondes to speak with Léon Garnier; engraving of a map showing F. Garnier's itinerary (1874); pension for his widow; project for a portrait of F. Garnier to be presented to the French National Gallery (1874). Garnier to be presented to the Société de Géographie; creation of a bust of the explorer by Topffer; protest to the Société d'Ethnographie (1875); delivery of a letter by Dutreuil de Rhins (1879); search for a lithographic stone by the engraver Erhard containing F. Garnier's itinerary. Garnier's itinerary (1882); publication of Doudart de Lagrée's letters by Arthur de Villemereuil (1885); recommendations in favor of Sergeant Imbert, F. Garnier's former comrade-in-arms, for the Military Medal and the Tonkin Medal (1889-1891), etc. "I have my copy of Indo-China! It's a superb work - and would have put the memory of your brother back into my heart, if it had been necessary. The matter of the expeditions to be made by the Société de Géographie has been settled. But I was sorry to see that Mr. Garrez's name had disappeared from the list of people to whom the work is given... Mr. Garrez is one of the men who helped your brother with questions of Indian history. What can be done to restore things to the conditions that were [...] in accordance with your brother's wishes?" (January 7, 1873). "At our next meeting, on March 7, M. Vivien de St Martin will read the report on the voyage d'exploration en Indo-Chine. I'll say we're sending you a convocation. But you'd better be warned right away. [...]. I almost forgot to tell you that I have received an affectionate letter from your brother, to which I shall reply as best I can" (February 22). "Here is an autograph showing the half-price reduction of your brother's card. The map (itinerary and dates in red) will be engraved from a copy of this autograph. Do not allow this document to be circulated, as it would be desirable for the Bulletin and the separate edition to be the first to receive it [...] We will begin the campaign with the Ministry to ensure that the funds allocated to Mr. Delaporte are passed on to your brother. Mr. Delaporte can find nothing to say about this, and what he was unable to do in Tong King, for lack of health, he will perhaps find to do elsewhere" (January 6, 1874)... "If your poor brother's death occurred during military service, your sister-in-law is entitled to a pension of 1,060 francs. Otherwise the pension would be only half, i.e. 530 F. I don't think there can be the slightest doubt about the situation" (January 14). "The President of the Sté de Géographie has taken good note of the wish I expressed to him for the return of your sister-in-law from Shang-Haï [...] The Society is a milieu that will always welcome with the deepest sympathy anything that might relate to your brother, and on which you can, I believe, count in case of need" (January 19).... "This letter will be given to you by Mr. Dutreuil de Rhins, whose name you no doubt know, and who is very involved in Indo-China. He is one of your brother's supporters and would like to discuss matters of interest to you. M. de Rhins is a reliable and upright man - whatever you tell him with reservations, he will be careful not to use, especially misuse" (October 8, 1879)... "In spite of all my research, I have not been able to put my finger on any of your concerns.Despite all my research, I have been unable to find the stone for Mr Garnier's Itinerary. If, however, we can wait a few more days, it may be possible for me to find it" (Erhard to Maunoir, March 24 1882, forwarded to L. Garnier); on the same sheet: "The philosopher's stone is no more difficult to find than this lithographic stone. Can you wait a little longer? Could you return to me the nos. of the Explorateur on which you had put me observations in red ink opposite the paragraphs of an article by M. de Villemereuil?" (March 25, 1882)... 4 letters or