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SOLD

Réf : 46915

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VOLTAIRE

Oeuvres complètes

Imprimerie de la Société Littéraire-Typographique, s.l. [Kehl] 1784-1789, 70 vol. in-8 (14,5x21,5cm), relié.

Edition called "Kehl", the most famous of the editions of the works of Voltaire, in large paper and illustrated with 114 figures. She was pulled over and only five different paper drawings on large paper have prints, copies are naturally the most sought after and rare. A title frontispiece with the bust of Voltaire, a dedication with the portrait of Frederick William by Pourbus, 12 portraits and 93 drawings by Moreau, engraved by Baquoy, Croutelle, Dambrun ... Our copy contains 7 figures more than the description of Cohen.
Uniform half-time bindings marbled fawn sheepskin with corners, back smooth decorated with jewels and golden wheels, yellow slices a piece of pink morocco title and a second tan morocco with the name of the author in black mosaic . Some friction on the back with small lacks some caps and damaged jaw.
The Kehl edition was created in 1777 during a visit to Ferney Panckoucke during which the latter obtained permission to Voltaire (who will work alongside him two years before he died). Panckoucke, including political and logistical resources are insufficient, cede to Beaumarchais, who put out considerable resources: Purchase characters Baskerville, setting up subscriptions and lottery, annexation of the fort of Kehl (rented twenty years for the opportunity!), buying a dozen presses ...
The edition of this great work that nevertheless ruin Beaumarchais wrote: "Europe will be satisfied and I will have lost 600,000 pounds [...] for five years. I had the daring courage to keep his word to Europe. "

Provenance: Library of the Prince of Starhemberg.
Prince Starhemberg, (1724-1807) was Austrian Ambassador to France from Louis XV and Minister Plenipotentiary at Lisbon, Madrid and Brussels where he allowed the creation of the Imperial and Royal Academy of Science and Letters in 1772. Spirit enlightened friend of the Marquise de Pompadour and great admirer of Voltaire, he was also commissioned by Joseph II to prevent Cardinal Frankenberg to restrict printing works of Voltaire and Raynal in the Netherlands.
Bookplate "buffer" STARHEMBERG ^(XIX) in the first volume. Covered by a bookplate later (OB) in other volumes.
Very nice copy in uniform vintage binding, an important source.

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