Histoire générale des voyages ou Nouvelle Collection des relations de voyages par mer et par terre, mise en ordre et complétée jusqu'à nos jours

First edition (see Brunet V, 1041. Quérard X, 472. Gay 299. Hoefer, XLVI, 498, who specifies that the last four volumes were written by Eyries).

Contemporary half red Russia morocco bindings with corners, spines with five raised bands, covers framed with blind fillets; marbled paper sides, endpapers and pastedowns; a few light scuffs to some covers; gilt top edges, others untrimmed; bindings of the period.

Some spines slightly faded; occasional foxing.

This work, originally intended to comprise 60 volumes, was never completed; only the section devoted to Africa was published.

It is illustrated with three folding maps at the end of volumes XVI, XVII and XVIII: Senegambia and the western coast of Africa from Cape Blanc to Cape St Anne; Congo, Angola and Benguela; Guinea between Sierra Leone and the crossing of the Equator.

The text surveys the principal voyages undertaken by the Portuguese on the African continent since the 16th century: the history of the first Venetian conquests on the western coast of Africa; Le Maire’s voyages to the Canary Islands, Cape Verde and Senegal; the six voyages of André Brue in Africa; Villault de Bellefonds’ voyage to Sierra Leone; journeys to Senegal by Adanson, Abbé Demanet and Lajaille; the travels of Pruneau de Pommegorge and the Chevalier des Marchais; the expeditions of Golberry, Mungo Park, Geoffroy de Villeneuve, Mollien, etc.

It also addresses European trade, as well as African customs, manners and religions, together with natural history drawn from travellers’ accounts.

Provenance: from the library of the Château de Rosny, with bookplates bearing the motto "La Solitude".

A good copy, well bound at the time, formerly owned by Jean-Gustave Lebaudy, politician and industrialist, born in Paris in 1827.

Founder of a major sugar refinery, he was also a member of the Chamber of Deputies and, in that capacity, became rapporteur for the bill establishing a Higher Council for Railways. He owned the Château de Rosny near Mantes (Yvelines), from which the present copy originates.