Strolls through Paris

First edition illustrated with a frontispiece engraved by Simonneau after Hallé, 3 vignettes by Cochin or Simonneau, a large folding plan by Coquart and 32 plates, most often folding, engraved by Hérisset, Lucas or Avéline; they offer a view of all the principal monuments of the capital, including three beautiful views drawn "sur le naturel" by Chaufourier showing the Pont Neuf and the Quai Conti from Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois, the Île Saint-Louis and the Quai Saint-Bernard, the Collège des Quatre Nations up to the Pont Royal from the Louvre.

The famous plan of Paris (68 x 90 cm) predates that of Turgot by fifteen years. The last three volumes contain the numerous supporting...

Edition after a few months to the original one of 1020 numbered copies on colored vellum, ours one of the 20 hors commerce justified by the publisher.
Binding to bradel full percaline sand, smooth back, as part of olive morocco first dish covered with a map of Paris and surrounding suburbs, preserved covers and backs, gilded head, signed G. Gauché binding.
Signed autograph of the author Madame (Madeleine) Harting "... with my respectful homage and gratitude for Savigny ..."
Madeine Harting attended literary and artisitiques circles, was a bookseller and publisher of texts by André Gide, Paul Valery, Francis Carco, Valery ... Larbaud, founder of the publishing house "At...

First edition published for the Mayors' banquet on April 18, 1934, one of the numbered copies.
Publisher's full sand-colored boards, smooth unlettered spine, corners slightly bumped.
Work illustrated with photographs produced by Intra-photogravure.
Back cover slightly and marginally soiled without significance, handsome interior condition.

First edition and first printing of the wood-engraved title and 18 steel-engraved plates.
Romantic binding in publisher's black cloth, smooth spine richly decorated with gilt arabesques, double blind-ruled frame on boards, boards decorated with gilt arabesques, all edges gilt.
Foxing.
Handsome romantic binding in excellent fresh condition.
Pasque bookplate. GR.

Original engraving. Optical view heightened in watercolor, depicting a view of the Place Royale in Paris.
Optical views, also called vues, perspectives or "mondo nuovo", are engravings that were very fashionable between the late 18th and early 19th centuries. They were intended to be observed through a set of several mirrors or by means of a Zograscope, an instrument consisting of a mirror and a lens. Optical views can be considered the precursors of three-dimensional images and stereoscopes which enjoyed great success from the 19th century onwards. Optical views appear to have emerged in the 1740s and were salon entertainments. The process was first developed in Paris, then London and...

First edition printed in 2000 copies, ours being one of the copies on laid paper.
Some stains on the chemise.
The work is illustrated with six hors-texte plates in black and color by Henri Montassier and Raoul Serres.

First edition.
Iconography.
Spine and covers lightly and marginally sunned without consequence, endpapers lightly and partially shaded, handsome interior condition.