Savary des Bruslons, Jacques, 1657-1716.
Savary's Dictionnaire universel de commerce : French Law
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Savary's Dictionnaire universel de commerce, 1723 |
The Dictionnaire universel de commerce was the first comprehensive encyclopedic dictionary of commerce and commercial law in modern Europe, and was the essential reference work in the field for the next century. In addition to several French editions, it was also translated into English (by Malachy Postlethwayt), Dutch, and Italian.
The author, Jacques Savary des Bruslons, was particularly well prepared. He came from a noble family of merchants. His father, Jacques Savary, was a renowned economist and royal official whose overhaul of French commercial law became known as the "Code Savary"; his treatise on commerce, Le parfait négociant ("The Perfect Merchant," 1675), became a classic in the field. The young Savary des Bruslons followed in his father's footsteps by becoming the Inspector General of the customs house in Paris.
"[Savary des Bruslons] undertook the composition for his personal use of an alphabetical list of all objects subject to duty, then of all the words relating to commerce and industry. He added a repertoire of the ordinances and rules regarding commerce in France and abroad. This double work was the starting-point of his Dictionnaire du Commerce, which he undertook in collaboration with his brother Louis-Philémon and which he left unfinished. But Louis-Philémon Savary (1654-1727), at first a preacher, later canon of the Chapter of Saint-Maur, and French agent for the reigning house of Mantua, finished the dictionary and published it in 1723." (Catholic Encyclopedia).
Editions: Paris: 1723; Amsterdam: 1726; Paris:
1741; Geneva: 1742; Paris: 1748; Geneva: 1750; Copenhagen: 1759, 1761.
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