| Cyrille Pierre Theodore Laplace — Voyage Autour du Monde par les mers de l'Inde et de la Chine de La Corvette de Sa majesté La Favorite exécutée pendant les années 1830, 1831, 1832 |
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Voyage Autour du Monde par les mers de l'Inde et de la Chine de La Corvette de Sa majesté La Favorite exécutée pendant les années 1830, 1831, 1832 |
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"PERHAPS THE FINEST SERIES OF PLATES OF ANY OF THE PICTURESQUE VOYAGES" (Sabin) 7 volumes: 5 volumes of text, 8vo (8 7/8 x 5 4/8 inches). Half-title, folding engraved map in volume one (one small stain), a few illustrations in the text, 70 engraved plates in volume 5 (61 hand-colored, one double); and 2 atlas volumes, folio: "Album Historique" (18 4/8 x 12 2/8), 72 hand-colored aquatint plates, printed on India paper and mounted, by Himely, Remond and others after Lauvergne, Paris and others; and "Atlas Hydrographique" (25 4/8 x 19 4/8). Engraved title-page, table, general map and 11 charts on 10 mapsheets (9 double-page). Contemporary calf-backed marbled paper boards, gilt ("Atlas " rebacked, hinges just starting on volume one). "SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLATES OF THE KIND IN EXISTENCE" (Borba de Moraes). EXCEPTIONALLY RARE COMPLETE SET OF FIRST EDITIONS OF LAPLACE'S "VOYAGE " "In December 1829, Laplace was commissioned to take an expedition to India, the East Indies and South East Asia, and then, if he chose to do so, proceed through the South Pacific. His instructions were to provide protection for French merchant vessels and obtain at each port-of-call information which might be of value to French trade (Howgego). The expedition was a scientific success and marked a subtle shift in emphasis from discovery for its own sake to politically motivated expeditions. The views include four of Mauritius, the Seychelles, two of Madras, four of Malacca, two of Singapore, six of Manilla, three of Canton, three of Australia, two of New Zealand, two of Valparaiso, two of Rio de Janeiro, and many others. These fine hand-colored plates were printed by Finot, under de Sainson's supervision, from engravings primarily by Himely after Sauvergne and Paris. La Favorite visited Madras, Pondichéry, Cochinchina, Tonkin, and the Philippines, before setting sail for Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. Laplace crossed the Pacific on his return, past Valparaiso, Cape Horn and along the coast of Brazil. Borba de Moraes I, pp.457-8; Ferguson 1669; Hill (2004), 980; Howgego L12; Sabin 38985. |
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