Jean François de LA HARPE

First edition.
Bradel binding in brown half-cloth, smooth spine, havana morocco title label with a small angular loss, marbled paper boards, modern binding.
Very rare autograph inscription signed by Jean-François de La Harpe on the half-title page: "Pour M. thomas de la part de l'auteur." ["For M. thomas from the author."]
The last two letters of the word "part" having been trimmed by the binder.

New edition, without the folio atlas of 15 plates.
Contemporary half blonde sheep bindings. Smooth spine handsomely decorated with anchor and ship tools, rolls and ornaments. Red morocco title labels, green morocco volume labels. Small lack at foot of volume I and at head of volume 4. Foot of volume 14 slightly rubbed.
Preface to L'Abrégé by Depping: "Around the year 1745, some men of letters in England formed the project of a complete collection of all travel accounts published in all the languages of Europe. Abbé Prévost, a writer advantageously known for the success of his novels, undertook to translate the work into French. He kept his word, the work spread throughout Europe. But the English authors abandoning their project, the abbé pursued his course, despite his criticisms of the flaws in their method, and completed the work, without providing readers with a thread that could guide them through the tortuous and innumerable paths, through the arid moors of this vast labyrinth where he had ventured with them.
Here now is what was thought could be done to present it to the public in a more agreeable form: it has been reduced; everything called Navigation Journal has been cut out; When a traveler, who found himself in extraordinary situations, tells his own story, care was taken not to take his place: he was left to speak without changing or adding anything to his account; very few changes were made to descriptions of places and customs, to physical details. But there was added to it, as much as possible, that philosophy which it absolutely lacks, that pure and universal morality, which is dictated and felt only by the heart, which seeks in all the knowledge that man can acquire only new relationships made to attach him to his fellow beings."
Volumes 1 to 4: Africa, by regions and countries. Volumes 5 to 12: Asia, by regions and countries. Volumes 12 to 20: Americas, by regions and countries, with Greenland and the Northern Port. Volumes 21 to 30: Voyages around the world.

Illustrated collected edition with a portrait of the author copper engraved by A. Migneret after a painting by Ducreux, a portrait engraved by Roger after Gérard, two illustrations after Devéria, with the artists' names simply engraved á la pointe, and 13 portraits copper engraved by Pierre Adam. A vélin paper copy.
Contemporary purple long-grain morocco by Duplanil, spine richly gilt with arabesques, covers with gilt fillets and fleurons as well as a roulette and central blindstamped geometric motif, gilt striae to corners, geometric roulette frame to pastedowns, all edges gilt.
A few spines slightly faded, otherwise a superb copy in a luxurious contemporary morocco binding.

First edition, illustrated with a frontispiece and 4 fine figures by Marillier engraved by Ponce, De Ghendt... and printed on strong paper. Rare copy entirely ruled, even for the figures.
Full navy morocco binding ca 1860 signed Arnaud. Raised-band spine decorated. Title and date in gilt. Triple gilt fillet frame on boards. Rich interior border. Edges gilt. Minor traces of rubbing to upper joint at head. Very handsome copy.
La Harpe drew the substance of his poem from an Arab tale, which was taken up by the Provençals in the romance Fortunatus, then at the beginning of the 18th century: Les aventures d'Abdalla.
19th-century ecclesiastical armorial bookplate, gold on red ground, with the inscription Abbatia Janduriarum, Leon rattier.

New edition for the Siège de Calais, first edition for the two other texts. The five figures mentioned by some bibliographers seem to be lacking in Eugénie.
Full speckled blonde sheep binding. Smooth spine decorated with gilt compartments and fleurons, as well as a blonde sheep title label. All edges red. Top of spine slightly split, title label partially missing. Surface wear and lacks to boards. Corners slightly bumped. Two tiny marginal tears not touching text to first endpaper and final text leaf.
Contemporary manuscript notes on first endpaper giving details of the work's contents. Interesting collection of theatrical pieces with England as their subject. Among these three plays, one should note that Le siège de Calais, a patriotic piece, had resounding success despite reservations from Diderot and Voltaire.

First edition, illustrated with a frontispiece and 4 fine figures by Marillier engraved by Ponce, De Ghendt...
Full dark blue paper boards binding, late 19th century. Gilt title and date at foot. Uncut copy, bound as issued, partly with conjugate leaves; the sheets containing the engravings are of smaller format; the bluish covers have been preserved. The bound format corresponding to a 12mo. Fine copy, in a modest binding.
La Harpe drew the substance of his poem from an Arabic tale, which was later adapted by the Provençals in the romance Fortunatus, then at the beginning of the 18th century: Les aventures d'Abdalla.

New edition.
Full marbled sheep bindings, smooth spines decorated with gilt friezes and compartments richly ornamented, red morocco title-labels, black sheep volume labels, small holes and worming at foot of some spines, gilt rolls on headcaps, occasional light rubbing to some covers, marbled paper endpapers and pastedowns, gilt pointillé on leading edges, marbled edges, contemporary bindings.
Handsome set almost free from foxing.