Guillaume-Antoine OLIVIER
Voyage dans l'empire Othoman, l'Egypte et la Perse, fait par ordre du gouvernement, pendant les six premières années de la République. Atlas pour servir au voyage dans l'empire Othoman, l'Egypte et la Perse . [Empire Ottoman]
Chez H. Agasse|Paris 1799 - 1807|12.50 x 21 cm|7 volumes reliés
First and only edition, very rare when complete. The first 2 volumes dated 1799, volumes 3 and 4 dated 1802, and volumes 5 and 6 dated 1807. 8 years were necessary to complete the edition. This edition also appeared in quarto format. First edition of this atlas containing 50 plates and published in three parts. First part: Ottoman Empire, 17 plates. Second part: Egypt and Persia, plates 18 to 33. Third part: Journey to Persia, plates 34 to 50. Notable maps include a general map of Greece, the Bosphorus and Thrace, the Troad, the Hellespont, Lower Egypt, Syria, Asia Minor... Botanical plates, costumes, fauna...
Half hazelnut sheep bindings slightly later, circa 1815. Smooth spines decorated with 3 fleurons and 7 series of fillets. Pink paper on boards. The spines of volumes 2, 3, 4 lightened. Surface damage along the upper joint of volumes 2 and 6. Rubbing on boards. Good copy, in fresh condition.
Atlas: Modern half hazelnut sheep binding. Skillful pastiche modeled on the binding of the 6 volumes and using the same type of tools and fillets, and the same type of period paper on the boards. Dampstain on 3 plates (36 to 39) at bottom. Scattered pale foxing. Fold at upper corner of several leaves. Handsome copy.
It was in 1792 that a travel mission was entrusted to Olivier, naturalist and entomologist, intended to gather information and establish commercial possibilities. He was accompanied by another naturalist, Bruguière. The narrative indeed gives pride of place to economics and commerce, in a very scrupulous manner. In the preface, the author warns of the serious undertaking of his work, in no way intended for picturesque or romantic descriptions, but for exact and detailed geographical and geological descriptions. He resided 6 months in Constantinople, awaiting the funds necessary for his journey, then visited the Greek islands for a year, finally landing in Alexandria on December 3, 1794 and spending 6 months in the country until he was recalled to Constantinople. He then headed toward Persia and landed in Beirut in October 1795. He visited Sidon and Tyre, then went to Baghdad, he and his colleague, where they stayed a month. Their talents as physicians allowed them to travel without hindrance. They left Baghdad on May 17, 1796 and took the great royal road toward Central Asia, passed through Hamadan, Ecbatana, and went as far as Tehran, which the new Shah had just made his new capital and which had only 15,000 inhabitants. After several months of waiting, they joined a caravan that would follow the Euphrates, then 22 days of walking were necessary to reach Constantinople on October 18, 1797, where they attempted to gather their botanical and zoological collection which would enter the Museum of Natural History.
In all the countries he traversed and where he resided, Olivier was not content with the expected monograph of physical, human and economic geography, he provides us with long chapters on political history, and never forgot to botanize when he could.
Half hazelnut sheep bindings slightly later, circa 1815. Smooth spines decorated with 3 fleurons and 7 series of fillets. Pink paper on boards. The spines of volumes 2, 3, 4 lightened. Surface damage along the upper joint of volumes 2 and 6. Rubbing on boards. Good copy, in fresh condition.
Atlas: Modern half hazelnut sheep binding. Skillful pastiche modeled on the binding of the 6 volumes and using the same type of tools and fillets, and the same type of period paper on the boards. Dampstain on 3 plates (36 to 39) at bottom. Scattered pale foxing. Fold at upper corner of several leaves. Handsome copy.
It was in 1792 that a travel mission was entrusted to Olivier, naturalist and entomologist, intended to gather information and establish commercial possibilities. He was accompanied by another naturalist, Bruguière. The narrative indeed gives pride of place to economics and commerce, in a very scrupulous manner. In the preface, the author warns of the serious undertaking of his work, in no way intended for picturesque or romantic descriptions, but for exact and detailed geographical and geological descriptions. He resided 6 months in Constantinople, awaiting the funds necessary for his journey, then visited the Greek islands for a year, finally landing in Alexandria on December 3, 1794 and spending 6 months in the country until he was recalled to Constantinople. He then headed toward Persia and landed in Beirut in October 1795. He visited Sidon and Tyre, then went to Baghdad, he and his colleague, where they stayed a month. Their talents as physicians allowed them to travel without hindrance. They left Baghdad on May 17, 1796 and took the great royal road toward Central Asia, passed through Hamadan, Ecbatana, and went as far as Tehran, which the new Shah had just made his new capital and which had only 15,000 inhabitants. After several months of waiting, they joined a caravan that would follow the Euphrates, then 22 days of walking were necessary to reach Constantinople on October 18, 1797, where they attempted to gather their botanical and zoological collection which would enter the Museum of Natural History.
In all the countries he traversed and where he resided, Olivier was not content with the expected monograph of physical, human and economic geography, he provides us with long chapters on political history, and never forgot to botanize when he could.
€5,000