Voyage du jeune Anacharsis en Grece, dans le milieu du quatrieme siecle avant l'ere vulgaire. 4 volumes plus atlas.
Printed in France. De Bure. 1788. First edition. Leather over boards. Set of five books: 4 volumes plus atlas. Hardcover full leather (tan) over boards. 4to. Pagination: vol 1 xviii+553+[1], vol 2 [6]+646+[1], vol 3 [6]+599+[1], vol 4 [6]+384+clxxxiv+[3], atlas xli+31 two-page plates. Illustrated with 31 b/w and hand-coloured, tipped-in plate engraved maps, diagrams, and floor plans with one fold-out. Uniform binding. Gilt stamped triple border on front and back boards. Gilt hatched board edges. Six compartment spine with five ribs; gilt stamped floral ornaments in compartments 1, 4-6, black leather labels with gilt stamped half title and volume number in compartments 2 and 3. All three edges of the text block marbled with marbled endpapers. General condition of all five books: the text blocks are clean, have some of browning/foxing (predominately in the front and back matter), and square with a strong binding; the boards and spines have some of their gilt decoration rubbed off, creases and small cracks in the spines, bumped and chipped corners, small marks on the front and back boards, and overall shelfwear. Previous ownership marks include a bookplate for Thomas Aylwin, 1729-1791, a merchant and justice of the peace active in Massachusetts and Quebec; an inscription by Thomas Cushing Aylwin (grandson), 1806-1871, a lawyer, judge and politician active in Quebec; a library stamp for the Alywin collection (family library); and an inscription by Felix Julien Jean Bigot de Preameneu, 1747-1825, lawyer and one of the four jurists authors of the Code Napoleon. Additional notes: biographical and bibliographical entries have been written in graphite on the flyleaf opposite the title page of vol 1. The title page of vol 1 has also been extended in graphite by the same hand. No other additions by this hand in the other books. Overall a beautiful complete set of this work, even if its a little rough around the edges, with an interesting provenance. The binding is strong enough for casual reading or research. As described. Item #67126
Price: $2,500.00