GRANDE LOGE DE FRANCE. - MANUSCRIT signed by Henri-Joseph Br - Lot 65

GRANDE LOGE DE FRANCE. - MANUSCRIT signed by Henri-Joseph Brest de LA CHAUSSEE as Grand Garde des Sceaux, Stamp and Archives of the Grande Loge de France, entitled "Orient de France, tableau général de tous les Vénérables Maîtres des Loges tant de Paris que de la Province, régulièrement constituées, par la Grande Loge de France, sous les auspices du Respectable Grand Maître de l'Ordre S. A. S. Frère Louis de Bourbon, comte de Clermont, prince du Sang et de son substitut général le Respectable Frère [Augustin Jean-François] Chaillon de Jonville M[aîtr]e des requêtes". "To the Grand Orient de France" [Paris], October 1, 1769. In-folio oblong square, leaves, wax seal of the Lodge with the arms of the Count of Clermont. 10 pp. 1/2 in-folio oblong square copper-engraved in sanguine with handwritten additions; wetnesses on first and last leaf, margin formerly reinforced on first leaf, a few small tears on last leaf, which has been mounted on modern strong paper. FUNDAMENTAL DOCUMENT GIVING THE NOMINATIONAL LIST OF MASTERS with, for each of them, the name of their Lodge, the date of foundation of this Lodge, and possibly the dignities they hold in the Grand Lodge. It comprises two parts: the first, devoted to Paris, is listed in alphabetical order of the Masters, i.e. 35 people; the second, devoted to the Province and the colonies (West Indies, Guyana, Mauritius) presents the Masters in alphabetical order of towns and regiments, i.e. 183 people. A total of 218 Masters are listed, but for 225 Lodges, as 8 Lodges are cited without mention of Master, date or place, and a Parisian Master (Beauchesne) is named without a Lodge with the remark "Non constituée, la Grande Loge a refusé de luy faire expédier des grades. He is a m[archan]d of grades". One column of the table is reserved for apostilles and remarks, of which a dozen have been entered: change of Lodge names, merger of two Lodges, suppression of a Lodge, resignation of a Master; dormant Lodges, withdrawal of Masons dissatisfied with their Master, officer status of members of regimental Lodges. The engraving on the first page is illustrated with a radiating star and the Lodge seals (including one with the coat of arms of the Count of Clermont). RARE AND SPECTACULAR.