Amadis de Gaule. Books 1, 2 and 9. Le premier/ second livre d'Amadis de Gaule,

mis en Françoys par le Seigneur des Essars Nicolas de Herberay./ Le neufiesme livre d'Amadis de Gaule, auquel sont contenuz les gestes de dom Florisel de Niquée (...). Paris, Vincent Sertenas, 1555 (books 1 and 2)/ 1557 (book 9, colophon: "Imprimé nouvellement à Paris par Estienne Groulleau, pour loy, Iean Longis, & Vincent Sertenas"), (8),CCLXX; (4),CLXIIII; (16),342,(1) p., w. woodcut printer's marks on title-p. and 26/ 10/ 36 (repeated) half-p. woodcut ills., woodcut initials, early 19th cent. unif. calf, gilt spines w. 2 contrast. mor letterpieces.

Book 2 lacks leaf V and lower blank margin of final leaf; books 1 and 9 occas. waterst; all vols. occas. internal minor defects. Book 1 frontcover loose and lower hinge splitting; book 9 hinges splitting/ weak and spine-ends chipped; most outer corners showing. Nice mid 16th century French language editions of these landmark works of the chivalric romance genre, popular in the 16th century. Originally in Spanish, later translations in German, English and other languages. See also the following lot and lots 537-538 in this auction.