Antoine-François-Félix ROSELLY DE LORGUES

First illustrated edition with 5 chromolithographs, one color map, all pages within a wide engraved border featuring marine scenes, landscapes, monuments... The effect of these borders is quite extraordinary when one further considers that they are renewed on each page.
Publisher's binding in half red shagreen bound by Engel and richly decorated with two special plates, a repeated ornament at head and foot, scattered stars throughout and thick and thin fillets. Special gilt plate created by Souze, an anchor in the foreground, caravels on the sea and the setting sun in which the American continent appears. The same plate is found on the back without the title. Traces of rubbing at the lo

New edition decorated with illustrations by Rouargue. Half red shagreen binding, spine with four raised bands decorated with richly ornamented gilt double compartments, gilt dots at head and tail, minor rubbing to headcaps and joints, blind-ruled frames on red paper boards, cream watered silk endpapers and pastedowns, all edges gilt. Occasional foxing.

Second edition.
Half black sheep binding, smooth spine decorated with triple gilt fillets showing traces of rubbing, a partially torn library classification label, rubbed headcaps, scuffs on the marbled paper boards, corners slightly bumped, contemporary binding.
Endpapers browned, foxing.

First edition.
A defense of the theses of the great navigator and discoverer Christopher Columbus.
Lacks to head and foot of spine, a tear without loss to page 248, some pale foxing, two tiny wormholes not affecting the text in the final leaves.
Rare.