Arkstée & Merkus

Edition published one year after the original, illustrated with four fine copper-engraved plates by Charles Eisen depicting Nordic types (Icelandic women, a bear hunt, Samoyeds, a Laplander in a sleigh) engraved by Le Mire, one folding map by Bellin, thirteen maps, plans, or views (eight of them folding) engraved by Croissey, as well as a charming engraved title vignette and a headpiece by Le Gouaz.

See Sabin, 37616; Chadenat, 1633; Boucher de la Richarderie, I, 380.

Full mottled calf binding, smooth spine richly gilt in compartments decorated with gilt fleurons and geometric motifs, sometimes slightly rubbed, red morocco label, restorations to spine and joints, gilt roll tooling on the caps, red-speckled citron edges, gilt fillets on the board edges; late eighteenth-century binding.

A tall, wide-margined copy.

Provenance: copy from the Château de Menneval, with an engraved bookplate mounted on the pastedown.

New edition, partially original as it is augmented with three new stories and the life of the author (previously published in 1744; before this date, editions included only 10 stories).
The false title of the second volume bears the title "Diverse Works," these two volumes, although sold separately, could be placed after the six-volume Don Quixote. The original title "Exemplary Novels" was used concurrently in other editions.
Translation by Abbé Martin de Chassonville. It is illustrated with a portrait of the author engraved by Gentot after Kent, and 13 plates, of which 12 are engraved by Aveline after Folkema, and one by Daudel. The engravings are charming and pleasing, with typical interiors (pharmacy, hospital...).
Full mottled calf bindings, smooth spines adorned with gilded fleurons, gilded rolls at the tails, grenadine morocco title pieces, brown morocco volume number pieces, triple gilded fillet borders on the covers enriched with gilded angular fleurons, gilded dentelles on the endpapers, all edges gilded, one bumped corner, some rubbing on the joints and covers, contemporary binding.

The finest edition of this work, the original having appeared in 1756. It comprises 84 plates, 61 of which are folding, compared to only 40 in the original, engraved in intaglio by Moitte, Patte and Tardieu, depicting military costumes, plans and profiles, and troop formations. Published by Abbé Perau, this edition is augmented with a biography (134pp.) and several pieces (letters...), it is better organized and superbly printed in large type.
Contemporary full marbled and glazed calf binding. Decorated raised spine, head and tail rolls. Red morocco title label and volume label. Double gilt fillet frame on boards. One tear at tail. One lower corner cut on volume 1. Small lack at head of volume II. One corner bumped on volume II. One scratch on upper board of volume II. One plate protruding in volume I and 2 in volume II, caused by improper folding. Despite some minor defects, a very handsome copy.

New illustrated edition with a portrait as frontispiece, 3 title vignettes, and 41 folding plates. According to Brunet, the first octavo edition following the original quarto published in 1769 of these Commentaries. Title pages printed in red and black.
Contemporary full mottled calf binding. Spine with raised bands, gilt-tooled. Beige morocco title-piece, black basane volume label. Head of volume 2 restored. Surface abrasions on the boards, polished with wax. Traces of rubbing. A handsome copy, the paper of remarkable freshness.
Ex libris with 18th-century armorial bookplate of Biel D. de Lislemont.