Natural Sciences

Original edition in Latin and German.
Nice copy.

First edition.
Half black shagreen binding, spine with five raised bands elaborately gilt in compartments with gilt typographical motif, covers triple-ruled in blind on black paper boards, white watered silk endpapers and pastedowns marginally soiled, all edges gilt.
Work illustrated with numerous wood-engraved vignettes by Joliet, Thomas, Lacoste, Dupeyron, Ecosse and drawings by Yan' Dargent.
Some minor foxing, otherwise handsome copy.

First edition of which there were no large paper copies.
With 16 photographs hors texte.
A good copy.

Second edition.
Publisher's full sienna cloth Bradel binding, smooth spine.
Illustrated with 241 figures in the text.
Handsome copy.

First edition.
Half brown cloth binding, smooth spine faded with a pasted title label showing small losses, a lack at foot of spine, one joint cracked at head, marbled paper boards with surface wear, lower corners bumped, contemporary binding.
Work illustrated with two engravings.
The work was curiously bound at the time by a lovestruck binder: volume II comes first, then the text of volume I and finally the title page of Volume I, the preface and the 2 plates come at the end...
Handsome interior condition.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint from the Wiener entomologischen Zeitung.
Light scuffs of no consequence to covers.
Handsome pamphlet.
Rare.

First edition.
Spine faded, back cover detached, some minor foxing.
Pen annotations in margins of some pages.
Rare pamphlet.

First edition.
Publisher's half aubergine cloth with corners, smooth spine slightly faded, marbled paper boards, marbled edges.
Handsome copy.

First edition.
Publisher's half burgundy cloth with corners, smooth spine slightly faded, marbled paper boards, marbled edges.
Handsome copy.

New edition.
Publisher's full grey cloth Bradel binding, smooth spine. Work illustrated with 15 figures in the text.
Handsome copy.

The first edition, published in a small number of copies, of these offprints.
Half brown sheep binding, spine with five raised bands lightly faded and rubbed, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns.
Rare.

The first edition, published in a small number of copies, of this offprint.
Spine and covers lightly and marginally sunned without significance, otherwise a handsome copy.
Pamphlet illustrated with 5 figures in the text.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint.
Spine and covers slightly and marginally sunned without gravity, otherwise handsome copy.
Illustrated pamphlet with 3 figures in the text.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint.
Spine and covers slightly and marginally sunned without gravity, otherwise handsome copy.
Illustrated pamphlet with 19 figures in the text.

First edition for each volume.
Half brown sheep over marbled paper boards, spine in six compartments, marbled endpapers and pastedowns.
A rare set.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint of Miscellanea entomologica.
Rare brochure.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint of Miscellanea entomologica.
Rare brochure.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint of the Bulletin de la société scientifique and médicale de l'ouest.
A rare copy.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint of the Bulletin de la sté scientifique et médicale de l'ouest.
A rare and good copy.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint of the Bulletin de la sté scientifique et médicale de l'ouest.
A rare and good copy.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint of the Bulletin de la sté scientifique et médicale de l'ouest.
A rare and good copy.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint of the Bulletin de la sté scientifique et médicale de l'ouest.
A rare and good copy.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint of the Bulletin de la sté scientifique et médicale de l'ouest.
A rare and good copy.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint of the Bulletin de la sté scientifique et médicale de l'ouest.
A rare and good copy.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint of the Bulletin de la sté scientifique et médicale de l'ouest.
A rare and good copy.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint of the Bulletin de la sté scientifique et médicale de l'ouest.
A rare and good copy.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint of the Bulletin de la sté scientifique et médicale de l'ouest.
A rare and good copy.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint of the Bulletin de la sté scientifique et médicale de l'ouest.
A rare and good copy.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint of the Bulletin de la sté scientifique et médicale de l'ouest.
A rare and good copy.

First edition.
Publisher's binding in full flexible almond cloth, smooth spine, original wrappers preserved.
Work illustrated with 100 engravings.
Handsome copy.

First edition.
Work illustrated with 187 in-text figures.
Handsome copy.
This work forms the twenty-seventh volume bis of the "Histoire naturelle de la France" collection.

First edition.
Work illustrated with 203 in-text figures.
A small marginal tear at the head of the front cover, handsome copy.
This work forms the sixteenth volume bis of the "Histoire naturelle de la France" collection.

New edition of the French translation based on the sixth German edition.
Publisher's full sienna cloth binding.
Work illustrated with 179 figures and 196 tables in the text as well as one plate.
Gift inscription from a previous owner at head of an endpaper, handsome copy.

First edition.
With 53 figures to text.
A good copy slightly warped, a trace of folding to head of upper cover.

First edition.
Work illustrated with 8 plates and 67 in-text figures as well as 4 color plates at the end.
Handsome and rare copy.

First edition.
Publisher's full sienna cloth binding, smooth spine.
Work illustrated with 156 figures in the text.
Handsome copy.

First edition.
Publisher's full sienna cloth binding, smooth spine.
Work illustrated with 197 figures in the text.
Handsome copy.

The first edition, published in a small number of copies.
Signed autograph inscription by Hakan Lindberg at head of front cover.
Work illustrated with figures in the text.
A handsome and rare copy.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint.
A good and rare copy.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint.
A good and rare copy.

First edition.
223 illustrations.
A good copy.

First edition.
Publisher's full grey boards in oblong format, smooth spine.
Illustrated with 99 plates and 1 portrait.

Author's copy. First edition of each of the pamphlets: Le Troupeau (1886), Le Reboisement de la Sologne (1888), Choix de vaches laitières (1894).
Contemporary binding in half red sheep, spine with five raised bands decorated with gilt dotted lines, original wrappers preserved.
Ernest Gaugiran was secretary general of the central agricultural committee of Sologne.

Author's copy. First edition for each of the pamphlets: Abdication du roi fainéant (1895), Le Sangsurieux (1895), Le Guignon (1896), Les Pilules du Comité central ou la Sologne métamorphosée (1897), Le Retour du fils Futaine (1899), La Grève des petits vachers (1899), Comité de Lamotte-Beuvron, session de mai 1891, Enquête sur les conditions des ouvriers agricoles (1894), Rapport du concours des livrets de caisse d'épargne (1897), Le Chasteau de Lamotte-Beuvron (1898).
Bound in half cherry red shagreen, spine with five raised bands decorated with gilt dots, marginal rubbing to boards, original wrappers preserved.
A photograph of the author pasted to one of the endpapers.
Ernest Gaugiran was secretary general of the central agricultural committee of Sologne.

The definitive edition, first in parts, one of 25 numbered copies on vélin d'Arches paper, the only large paper copies.
Illustrated.
One small insignificant lack to foot of spine, a few small wormholes principally to endpapers, two tiny marginal tears without lack to lower cover, internally good.
Rare.

First edition.
Signed autograph inscription by Jean Balazuc to a fellow entomologist.
Work illustrated with 47 figures in the text.
We include the first supplement to J. Balazuc's inventory as well as autograph notes by the dedicatee on loose sheets.
Handsome copy.

First edition of each volume.
Half red sheep binding, spine with five raised bands, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns.
The first four fascicles are written by Edmund Reitter.
Rare and handsome set.

First edition for each of the volumes.
Half red sheep binding, spine with five raised bands, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns.
Some fascicles are illustrated with in-text figures.
Rare and handsome collection.

The rare first edition of this pamphlet.
Stitched pamphlet, unbound.

The commission of agriculture and arts was founded in 1794 and Parmentier was from its creation an eminent and influential member. The potato was soon perceived, thanks to Parmentier, as a means to combat famine and food shortages, whether for humans or animals.

NB: This work is available at the bookshop on request within 48 hours.

Edition printed and numbered on vellum.
Half vellum-style boards binding, smooth spine lightly sunned decorated with gilt title, corners slightly bumped, top edge gilt.
Good copy.

First edition on laid paper illustrated with 58 black and white photographs by the author, as well as a map of British East Africa.
Half sheep binding with caramel corners, smooth spine decorated with gilt and blind fillets, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, some corners slightly rubbed, covers and spine preserved.

First edition printed in small number and anonymously.
Pencil annotations at foot of last page of text.
Rare pamphlet.

First edition.
Half black shagreen binding, spine with four raised bands ornately gilt and decorated in blind in compartments, gilt initials at foot, black paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns.
Our copy is complete with its atlas, bound at rear, comprising 24 plates illustrated with figures.
Some minor foxing of no consequence.
Handsome copy.

Fourth edition.
Work illustrated with 47 vignettes.
An angular tear at the foot of the back cover, some light foxing.

First edition.
Half red sheep binding, smooth spine decorated with triple gilt fillets, gilt friezes at head and foot, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, lower corners slightly bumped, contemporary binding.
Iconography.

First editions.
Half red sheep binding, spine with four raised bands, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, original wrappers preserved.
First work illustrated with 29 figures in the text, second work illustrated with 87 figures in the text, third work illustrated with one figure in the text.
One marginal restoration at foot of page 275 of the first volume with slight damage to the text.
Rare gathering.

First editions of these two works bound together, one published in 1802, the second in 1836, on the entomology of Puy-de-Dôme.
Half-binding in red grained percaline (imitating shagreen) late 19th century. Smooth spine with false raised bands. Gilt title and Société linéenne du nord de la France at tail. Corners rubbed. Binder's label: Cabry à Amiens.
The lamellicorns and carabids are a division of coleoptera.
Stamps: bibliothèque linéenne. J. Garnier. S.L.N.F Sale of 28/10/1938. on title page.

First edition printed in a small number of copies of this offprint from Miscellanea Entomologica 1935-1937.
Work illustrated with 10 photographs.
Signed autograph inscription by Géo Favarel.
Spine split at head and foot with two small lacks and a stain, boards marginally faded and foxed, handsome interior condition.
Rare.

First edition.
Full cloth Bradel binding in navy blue, smooth spine with minor scuffing of no consequence, two corners very slightly bumped, black paper endpapers and pastedowns.
Complete with plates featuring 45 butterflies heightened in watercolor.
Very occasional foxing.

First edition.
One full page etching hors texte partly hand-colored.
Foxing, spine cracked.
A rare copy.

First edition in French.
Illustrated with 31 figures.
A good copy.

First French edition, expanded and corrected by the author.
Contemporary full blonde sheep binding. Spine with raised bands decorated with leaves and fleurons in compartments. Roulettes at tail. Headcaps worn. Corners slightly bumped. Rubbing and surface wear. Foxing.
The author studied all genital diseases known at the time, taking care to separate them from syphilis. Several chapters are devoted to remedies (the author cites exotic ones, from India or elsewhere, without having experimented with them), others deal with recent venereal diseases including one that appeared in Canada, where patients lose limbs, another in Africa, etc... A work of definite interest in the field, notably because the author never forgets the history of diseases, the different countries and continents where the diseases rage... the work abounding in curious notes. At the end of the work, a pharmacopoeia of venereal diseases.

First edition.
Nach dem von Dr. Kersten während der v. d. Decken'schen Ost-Afrikanischen Expedition im Jahre 1862 und von C. Cooke auf der Insel Sansibar im Jahre 1864 gesammelten Material bearbeitet von A. Gerstaecker.
With 10 hand-colored copper plates (and not 18 as stated), one with a missing piece.
Prepared by A. Gerstaecker from observations collected by Dr. O. Kersten during the East African expedition in 1862 and by C. Cooke on the island of Zanzibar in 1864. Contains 10 plates instead of 18, one partially cut out.

First edition.
Half brown shagreen binding, smooth spine decorated with gilt and blind fillets, gilt dentelle at head and foot, contemporary binding.
Work illustrated with 12 plates at rear
Some foxing.

Second edition of the translation by Bordenave. The work had first appeared in Latin in 1749, in Göttingen.
Full marbled blonde sheep binding. Decorated spine with raised bands. Red morocco title-label. Worn headcaps. Scattered foxing. Paper partly yellowed.
Considered one of the principal figures of his time, Haller was at once a naturalist, physician, anatomist and poet. He is justly regarded as the father of physiology. In this classic manual, Haller provides a critical overview of the anatomical and physiological knowledge of his era.

First edition.
Contemporary blonde sheep binding. Spine with raised bands, decorated. Tail rolls. Red morocco title-label. Small lack at head. 3 corners bumped with loss of leather. Light bookworm damage to right margin of first leaves becoming simple wormholes throughout the work. A fairly good copy.
This first work in which Condillac's thought takes shape draws considerably on the author's intellectual master: Locke. Already, abbé Condillac rejects all spiritual causes and attacks all idealist philosophies (Leibniz, Descartes...), but he is not yet the leader of Sensualism, which he would only affirm much later. His style is already clear, precise and logical, going directly to the essential through inductions. In this first work, Condillac lays the foundations and principles on which his future thought would be built. Ex-libris Maurice Privat. Label from Librairie Raymond Clavreuil.

First edition.
Half navy blue shagreen binding, spine with five raised bands with blind fillets, minor harmless rubbing to spine, marbled paper boards, minor rubbing to edges, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, contemporary binding.
Work illustrated with 164 figures in the text and one plate.
A small and light dampstain at foot of first leaves, some light foxing, printed stamps serving as bookplates on verso of front board and at foot of title page.
Rare.

Second edition, after the original published in 1764.
Contemporary full calf binding. Spine with raised bands decorated with fleurons in compartments. Red morocco title label, and beige morocco volume label. Head of volume I worn. A lack to the second compartment of the second volume. Joints of volume II split at foot. Some surface abrasions to the boards.
Bonnet (1720-1793) is considered one of the fathers of modern biology (he was the first to use the term Evolution in biology), both for his experimental research and his philosophy which had a profound influence on naturalists. It was when he was struck with blindness that he turned to theory. This work takes up the first eight chapters of the "Considérations sur les corps organisés," published in 1762, where Bonnet expounds his theory on the preexistence of germs. Bonnet moreover reports numerous observations of natural history.

First edition.
Half dark green cloth binding, spine gilt-lettered with title and author's name, "S de B" [Société de Biologie] at foot, marbled paper boards, corners slightly bumped, original wrappers preserved, contemporary binding.
Handsome interior condition almost entirely free from foxing.

Doctoral thesis in medicine, defended by the author in 1847.
First edition.
Half dark green cloth binding, title and author's name gilt to spine, "S de B [Société de Biologie] at foot, marbled paper boards, contemporary binding.
Autograph inscription signed by Jean Nicolas Demarquay.
Some rare marginal foxing of no consequence. Handsome copy, rare.
Jean Nicolas Demarquay (1815-1875), surgeon, presented his doctoral thesis in medicine, Recherches expérimentales sur la température animale, in June 1847. He was chief surgeon at the Dubois nursing home. He was interested in hypnotism and published numerous works on surgical procedures. Great friend of Auguste Duméril, physician, member of the Institute and of the Royal Academy of Medicine, he published with him and with Lecointe a pamphlet entitled Recherches expérimentales sur les modifications imprimées à la température animale par l'introduction dans l'économie de différents agents thérapeutiques, in 1852.

First edition.
Half dark green cloth binding, title and author's name gilt to spine, "S de B [Société de Biologie] at foot, marbled paper boards, contemporary binding.
Leaves lightly warped, pale dampstain at foot affecting all leaves, more pronounced on pp. 23 to 35. One restoration to verso of last leaf, which shows small tears with minute losses in lower right corner.

First edition; extracted from the Revue des deux mondes. Rare.
Under plain wrappers.

First edition, printed in 200 numbered de luxe copies printed on pink paper.
Illustrated silver upper cover.
Contributions from A. Breton, G. Goldfayn, R. Benayoun, Man Ray, B. Péret, J. Schuster, F. Valorbe, and others.
This copy is enriched with the signatures of all the contributors.
Retaining its 5 “filmomanies symptomatiques”.
A good and rare copy.

Original etching in plano, untrimmed, extracted from the so-called "Imperial" edition of the Description de l'Égypte ou Recueil des observations et recherches faites en Égypte pendant l'expédition française, publié par les ordres de Sa Majesté l'Empereur Napoléon le Grand.
Produced between February 1802 and 1829 by order of Napoleon Bonaparte and published from 1809 [actually 1810], it was printed in 1000 copies on watermarked laid paper "Égypte ancienne et moderne" and offered to institutions.
Plate belonging to the Botany section, whose study was carried out by Alire Raffeneau-Delile (1778-1850), French botanist who participated in the Egyptian campaign, and who brought back notably the lotus and papyrus.
Light and marginal foxing with slight touching to the engraving, otherwise very fine freshness and preservation.


NATURAL HISTORY volume, botany:
These engravings show the scientific genius of French scholars at work on Egyptian soil, preparing it to become a French colony. This colonizing project in gestation since the reign of Louis XIV was accompanied with Bonaparte's arrival by an in-depth study of fauna and flora through the work of the greatest naturalists, mineralogists, entomologists of the time. The Description de l'Egypte reveals the entirety of this immense scientific enterprise through its engravings, after drawings by members of the Academy of Sciences including Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hillaire, Alire Raffenau-Delile or Henri-Joseph Redouté. According to the words of Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire "Nous avons recueilli les matériaux du plus bel ouvrage qu'une nation ait pu faire entreprendre. En déplorant le sort de tant de braves guerriers, qui après tant de glorieux exploits ont succombé en Egypte, on se consolera par l'existence d'ouvrages aussi précieux." ["We have gathered the materials for the finest work that a nation could undertake. While deploring the fate of so many brave warriors, who after so many glorious exploits succumbed in Egypt, one will be consoled by the existence of such precious works."]

THE DESCRIPTION DE L'EGYPTE, IMPERIAL edition (1809-1829):
La Description de l'Egypte is one of the masterpieces of French publishing and the starting point of a new science: Egyptology. Titanic exposition of Egypt at the time of Bonaparte's conquests between 1798 and 1799, it is divided into 23 volumes including 13 volumes of engravings gathering nearly 1000 plates in black and 72 in color. The 6 volumes of plates entitled Antiquités are devoted to the splendors of Pharaonic Egypt. L'Histoire naturelle is divided into 3 volumes of engravings. One volume is devoted to Cartes géographiques et topographiques while the 3 volumes : Etat Moderne present a striking portrait of Coptic and Islamic Egypt as it was seen by Bonaparte's armies of the Orient.

The "Egyptian campaign," military disaster, reveals through the engravings of the Description de l'Egypte the scientific success it became, thanks to the some 167 scholars members of the Commission of Sciences and Arts of the Institute of Egypt who followed Napoleon's army. The Institute brought together in Egypt the mathematician Monge, the chemist Berthollet, the naturalist Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, as well as numerous artists, engineers, architects, doctors... They were charged with rediscovering modern and ancient Egypt, showing its natural riches, and the know-how of its inhabitants.

The first edition, called "Imperial," of the Description de l'Egypte was produced in four large formats, two of them specially created for it and called "Moyen-Egypte" and "Grand-Egypte" formats. A specific press was built for its printing, which stretched over twenty years, between 1809 and 1829. The Imperial edition proved so popular that a second edition in 37 volumes entirely in black and without the "Egypte ancienne et moderne" watermark, called the "Panckoucke" edition, was published from 1821 by the C.-L.-F. Panckoucke printing house (Paris).
The realization of this monument of erudition owes much to Baron Dominique Vivant Denon, illustrator, diplomat, collector and subsequently director of the Napoleon Museum of the Louvre who accompanied Napoleon to Egypt with numerous other scholars but decided alone to venture into the South of the country, while the other invited scientists remained confined to the Cairo region. The fabulous sketches brought back by Denon during his romantic ride gave Bonaparte the idea to send the other members of the Institute there and thus draw a faithful and complete portrait of the territory. Following Denon, it was therefore the greatest French scientists and artists who ventured along the Nile up to Nubia. Among them, the painter at the natural history museum H.J. Redouté (brother of Pierre-Joseph Redouté, author of the Roses), the mineralogist Dolomieu, the draftsman Joly, and the engineers Fourier and Costaz, charged with the scientific study of the ancient vestiges of Upper Egypt.
Probably for the first time assembled in such an expedition, the French scientific and artistic elite, composed of more than 160 "scholars" including nearly 50 artists, methodically studied Egypt for three years. They then realized, under the aegis and to the glory of Napoleon, the vastest historical, geographical, scientific, economic and ethnological analysis ever carried out on a country. But it is perhaps the engravings that constituted the major technical challenge of this Description de l'Egypte, as testified by Yves Laissus, curator of the exhibition organized in 2009 by the RMN and the Army Museum at the Invalides:
"L'illustration, 836 planches dont une soixantaine en couleurs, gravées à l'eau forte et au burin dans des formats jusqu'alors inusités (le plus grand couvre près d'un mètre carré), a nécessité la construction de nouvelles formes et cuves pour la fabrication du papier, justifié l'invention, par Nicolas Conté, d'une machine destinée à alléger la besogne des graveurs, et exigé la réalisation de nouvelles presses capables d'imprimer ces images immenses. Certaines d'entre elles ont demandé deux années de travail. Près de 200 graveurs ont reproduit sur le cuivre les œuvres de 62 dessinateurs dont 46 ont participé à l'expédition." ["The illustration, 836 plates of which about sixty in color, engraved with etching and burin in formats hitherto unusual (the largest covers nearly a square meter), required the construction of new forms and vats for paper manufacturing, justified the invention, by Nicolas Conté, of a machine intended to lighten the burden of the engravers, and required the realization of new presses capable of printing these immense images. Some of them required two years of work. Nearly 200 engravers reproduced on copper the works of 62 draftsmen of whom 46 participated in the expedition."]
Rare and superb original engraving of exceptional craftsmanship and graphic quality, testimony to one of the most ambitious French editorial adventures.

Original etching in plano format, untrimmed, extracted from the so-called "Imperial" edition of the Description de l'Égypte ou Recueil des observations et recherches faites en Égypte pendant l'expédition française, publié par les ordres de Sa Majesté l'Empereur Napoléon le Grand.
Produced between February 1802 and 1829 by order of Napoleon Bonaparte and published from 1809 [actually 1810], it was printed in 1000 copies on watermarked laid paper "Égypte ancienne et moderne" and offered to institutions.
Plate belonging to the fish series, whose study was carried out by Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1772-1844), French naturalist who participated in the Egyptian campaign, and collected on this occasion numerous observations on mammals, reptiles and fish in particular.
Light marginal foxing not affecting the engraving, two small wormholes in the upper margin, a small repaired tear in the lower margin (1 cm), otherwise excellent state of freshness and preservation.


Volume NATURAL HISTORY, fish:
These engravings show the scientific genius of French scholars at work on Egyptian soil, preparing it to become a French colony. This colonial project in gestation since the reign of Louis XIV was accompanied with Bonaparte's arrival by an in-depth study of fauna and flora through the work of the greatest naturalists, mineralogists, entomologists of the time. The Description de l'Egypte reveals the entirety of this immense scientific enterprise through its engravings, based on drawings by members of the Academy of Sciences including Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hillaire, Alire Raffenau-Delile or Henri-Joseph Redouté. In the words of Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire "Nous avons recueilli les matériaux du plus bel ouvrage qu'une nation ait pu faire entreprendre. En déplorant le sort de tant de braves guerriers, qui après tant de glorieux exploits ont succombé en Egypte, on se consolera par l'existence d'ouvrages aussi précieux." ["We have collected the materials for the most beautiful work that a nation could undertake. While deploring the fate of so many brave warriors, who after so many glorious exploits have succumbed in Egypt, one will be consoled by the existence of such precious works."]

THE DESCRIPTION DE L'EGYPTE, IMPERIAL edition (1809-1829):
La Description de l'Egypte is one of the masterpieces of French publishing and the starting point of a new science: Egyptology. Titanic exposition of Egypt at the time of Bonaparte's conquests between 1798 and 1799, it is divided into 23 volumes including 13 volumes of engravings gathering nearly 1000 plates in black and 72 in color. The 6 volumes of plates entitled Antiquités are devoted to the splendors of Pharaonic Egypt. L'Histoire naturelle is divided into 3 volumes of engravings. One volume is devoted to Cartes géographiques et topographiques while the 3 volumes : Etat Moderne paint a striking portrait of Coptic and Islamic Egypt as it was seen by Bonaparte's Eastern armies.

The "Egyptian campaign," a military disaster, reveals through the engravings of the Description de l'Egypte the scientific success it became, thanks to the some 167 scholars members of the Commission of Sciences and Arts of the Institute of Egypt who followed Napoleon's army. The Institute brought together in Egypt the mathematician Monge, the chemist Berthollet, the naturalist Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, as well as numerous artists, engineers, architects, doctors... They were charged with rediscovering modern and ancient Egypt, showing its natural riches, and the know-how of its inhabitants.

The first edition, called "Imperial," of the Description de l'Egypte was produced in four large formats, two of them specially created for it and named "Moyen-Egypte" and "Grand-Egypte" formats. A specific press was built for its printing, which stretched over twenty years, between 1809 and 1829. The Imperial edition proved so popular that a second edition in 37 volumes entirely in black and without the watermark "Egypte ancienne et moderne," called the "Panckoucke" edition, was published from 1821 by the C.-L.-F. Panckoucke printing house (Paris).
The realization of this monument of erudition owes much to Baron Dominique Vivant Denon, illustrator, diplomat, collector and subsequently director of the Napoleon Museum of the Louvre who accompanied Napoleon to Egypt with many other scholars but decided alone to venture into the South of the country, while the other invited scientists remained confined to the Cairo region. The fabulous sketches brought back by Denon during his romantic ride gave Bonaparte the idea to send the other members of the Institute there and thus draw a faithful and complete portrait of the territory. Following Denon, it was therefore the greatest French scientists and artists who ventured along the Nile to Nubia. Among them, the painter at the natural history museum H.J. Redouté (brother of Pierre-Joseph Redouté, author of Roses), the mineralogist Dolomieu, the draftsman Joly, and the engineers Fourier and Costaz, charged with the scientific study of the ancient vestiges of Upper Egypt.
Probably for the first time assembled in such an expedition, the French scientific and artistic elite, composed of more than 160 "scholars" including nearly 50 artists, methodically studied Egypt for three years. They then realized, under the aegis and to the glory of Napoleon, the most vast historical, geographical, scientific, economic and ethnological analysis ever carried out on a country. But it is perhaps the engravings that constituted the major technical challenge of this Description de l'Egypte, as testified by Yves Laissus, curator of the exhibition organized in 2009 by the RMN and the Army Museum at the Invalides:
"L'illustration, 836 planches dont une soixantaine en couleurs, gravées à l'eau forte et au burin dans des formats jusqu'alors inusités (le plus grand couvre près d'un mètre carré), a nécessité la construction de nouvelles formes et cuves pour la fabrication du papier, justifié l'invention, par Nicolas Conté, d'une machine destinée à alléger la besogne des graveurs, et exigé la réalisation de nouvelles presses capables d'imprimer ces images immenses. Certaines d'entre elles ont demandé deux années de travail. Près de 200 graveurs ont reproduit sur le cuivre les œuvres de 62 dessinateurs dont 46 ont participé à l'expédition." ["The illustration, 836 plates including about sixty in color, engraved with etching and burin in previously unused formats (the largest covers nearly a square meter), required the construction of new forms and vats for paper manufacturing, justified the invention, by Nicolas Conté, of a machine designed to lighten the burden of the engravers, and required the realization of new presses capable of printing these immense images. Some of them required two years of work. Nearly 200 engravers reproduced on copper the works of 62 draftsmen of whom 46 participated in the expedition."]
Rare and superb original engraving of exceptional craftsmanship and graphic quality, testimony to one of the most ambitious French editorial adventures.

Original etching in plano, uncut, extracted from the so-called "Imperial" edition of the Description de l'Égypte ou Recueil des observations et recherches faites en Égypte pendant l'expédition française, publié par les ordres de Sa Majesté l'Empereur Napoléon le Grand.
Produced between February 1802 and 1829 by order of Napoleon Bonaparte and published from 1809 [actually 1810], it was printed in 1000 copies on watermarked laid paper "Égypte ancienne et moderne" and offered to institutions.
Plate belonging to the series on Fish, whose study was conducted by Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1772-1844), French naturalist who participated in the Egyptian campaign, and collected on this occasion numerous observations on mammals, reptiles and fish in particular.
Minor marginal foxing not affecting the engraving, a small wormhole in the upper margin, a small tear repaired at the edge of the left margin, otherwise excellent freshness and condition.


Volume NATURAL HISTORY, fish:
These engravings show the scientific genius of French scholars at work on Egyptian soil, preparing it to become a French colony. This colonizing project in gestation since the reign of Louis XIV was accompanied with Bonaparte's arrival by an in-depth study of fauna and flora through the work of the greatest naturalists, mineralogists, entomologists of the time. The Description de l'Egypte reveals the entirety of this immense scientific enterprise through its engravings, after drawings by members of the Academy of Sciences including Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hillaire, Alire Raffenau-Delile or Henri-Joseph Redouté. According to Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire's words "Nous avons recueilli les matériaux du plus bel ouvrage qu'une nation ait pu faire entreprendre. En déplorant le sort de tant de braves guerriers, qui après tant de glorieux exploits ont succombé en Egypte, on se consolera par l'existence d'ouvrages aussi précieux." ["We have gathered the materials for the finest work that a nation could undertake. While deploring the fate of so many brave warriors, who after so many glorious exploits perished in Egypt, one will be consoled by the existence of such precious works."]

THE DESCRIPTION DE L'EGYPTE, IMPERIAL edition (1809-1829):
The Description de l'Egypte is one of the masterpieces of French publishing and the starting point of a new science: Egyptology. Titanic exposition of Egypt at the time of Bonaparte's conquests between 1798 and 1799, it is divided into 23 volumes including 13 volumes of engravings gathering nearly 1000 plates in black and 72 in color. The 6 volumes of plates entitled Antiquités are devoted to the splendors of Pharaonic Egypt. L'Histoire naturelle is divided into 3 volumes of engravings. One volume is devoted to Cartes géographiques et topographiques while the 3 volumes : Etat Moderne present a striking portrait of Coptic and Islamic Egypt as it was seen by Bonaparte's Oriental armies.

The "Egyptian campaign," military disaster, reveals through the engravings of the Description de l'Egypte the scientific success it became, thanks to the some 167 scholar members of the Commission of Sciences and Arts of the Institute of Egypt who followed Napoleon's army. The Institute brought together in Egypt the mathematician Monge, the chemist Berthollet, the naturalist Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, as well as numerous artists, engineers, architects, doctors... They were charged with rediscovering modern and ancient Egypt, showing its natural riches, and the know-how of its inhabitants.

The first edition, called "Imperial," of the Description de l'Egypte was produced in four large formats, two of them specially created for it and named "Moyen-Egypte" and "Grand-Egypte" formats. A specific press was built for its printing, which spread over twenty years, between 1809 and 1829. The Imperial edition proved so popular that a second edition in 37 volumes entirely in black and without the "Egypte ancienne et moderne" watermark, called the "Panckoucke" edition, was published from 1821 by the C.-L.-F. Panckoucke printing house (Paris).
The realization of this monument of erudition owes much to Baron Dominique Vivant Denon, illustrator, diplomat, collector and subsequently director of the Napoleon Museum of the Louvre who accompanied Napoleon to Egypt with many other scholars but decided alone to venture into the South of the country, while the other invited scientists remained confined in the Cairo region. The fabulous sketches brought back by Denon from his romantic ride gave Bonaparte the idea to send the other members of the Institute there and thus draw a faithful and complete portrait of the territory. Following Denon, it was therefore the greatest French scientists and artists who ventured along the Nile to Nubia. Among them, the painter at the natural history museum H.J. Redouté (brother of Pierre-Joseph Redouté, author of Roses), the mineralogist Dolomieu, the draftsman Joly, and the engineers Fourier and Costaz, charged with the scientific study of the ancient vestiges of Upper Egypt.
Probably for the first time brought together in such an expedition, the French scientific and artistic elite, composed of more than 160 "scholars" including nearly 50 artists, methodically studies Egypt for three years. They then carry out, under the aegis and to the glory of Napoleon, the most vast historical, geographical, scientific, economic and ethnological analysis ever conducted on a country. But it is perhaps the engravings that constituted the major technical challenge of this Description de l'Egypte, as testified by Yves Laissus, commissioner of the exhibition organized in 2009 by the RMN and the Army Museum at Les Invalides:
"L'illustration, 836 planches dont une soixantaine en couleurs, gravées à l'eau forte et au burin dans des formats jusqu'alors inusités (le plus grand couvre près d'un mètre carré), a nécessité la construction de nouvelles formes et cuves pour la fabrication du papier, justifié l'invention, par Nicolas Conté, d'une machine destinée à alléger la besogne des graveurs, et exigé la réalisation de nouvelles presses capables d'imprimer ces images immenses. Certaines d'entre elles ont demandé deux années de travail. Près de 200 graveurs ont reproduit sur le cuivre les œuvres de 62 dessinateurs dont 46 ont participé à l'expédition." ["The illustration, 836 plates including about sixty in color, engraved with etching and burin in formats hitherto unused (the largest covers nearly one square meter), required the construction of new forms and vats for paper manufacture, justified the invention, by Nicolas Conté, of a machine intended to lighten the work of engravers, and required the realization of new presses capable of printing these immense images. Some of them required two years of work. Nearly 200 engravers reproduced on copper the works of 62 draftsmen, 46 of whom participated in the expedition."]
Rare and superb original engraving of exceptional craftsmanship and graphic quality, testimony to one of the most ambitious French editorial adventures.

Original etching in plano format, untrimmed, from the so-called "Imperial" edition of the Description de l'Égypte ou Recueil des observations et recherches faites en Égypte pendant l'expédition française, publié par les ordres de Sa Majesté l'Empereur Napoléon le Grand.
Produced between February 1802 and 1829 by order of Napoleon Bonaparte and published from 1809 [actually 1810], it was printed in 1000 copies on laid paper watermarked "Égypte ancienne et moderne" and offered to institutions.
Plate belonging to the Fish series, whose study was carried out by Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1772-1844), French naturalist who participated in the Egyptian campaign, and collected on that occasion numerous observations on mammals, reptiles and fish in particular.
Minor foxing with very slight touching to the engraving, a small wormhole in the left margin, otherwise excellent freshness and condition.


Volume NATURAL HISTORY, Fish:
These engravings show the scientific genius of French scholars at work on Egyptian soil, preparing it to become a French colony. This colonial project in gestation since the reign of Louis XIV was accompanied with Bonaparte's arrival by an in-depth study of fauna and flora through the work of the greatest naturalists, mineralogists, entomologists of the era. The Description de l'Egypte reveals the entirety of this immense scientific enterprise through its engravings, based on drawings by members of the Academy of Sciences including Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hillaire, Alire Raffenau-Delile or Henri-Joseph Redouté. In the words of Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire "Nous avons recueilli les matériaux du plus bel ouvrage qu'une nation ait pu faire entreprendre. En déplorant le sort de tant de braves guerriers, qui après tant de glorieux exploits ont succombé en Egypte, on se consolera par l'existence d'ouvrages aussi précieux." ["We have gathered the materials for the finest work that a nation could undertake. While deploring the fate of so many brave warriors, who after so many glorious exploits succumbed in Egypt, one will be consoled by the existence of such precious works."]

THE DESCRIPTION DE L'EGYPTE, IMPERIAL edition (1809-1829):
La Description de l'Egypte is one of the masterpieces of French publishing and the starting point of a new science: Egyptology. A titanic exposition of Egypt at the time of Bonaparte's conquests between 1798 and 1799, it is divided into 23 volumes including 13 volumes of engravings gathering nearly 1000 plates in black and 72 in color. The 6 volumes of plates titled Antiquités are devoted to the splendors of pharaonic Egypt. L'Histoire naturelle is divided into 3 volumes of engravings. One volume is devoted to Cartes géographiques et topographiques while the 3 volumes : Etat Moderne provide a striking portrait of Coptic and Islamic Egypt as it was seen by Bonaparte's Oriental armies.

The "Egyptian campaign," a military disaster, reveals through the engravings of the Description de l'Egypte the scientific success it became, thanks to the some 167 scholars members of the Commission of Sciences and Arts of the Institute of Egypt who followed Napoleon's army. The Institute brought together in Egypt the mathematician Monge, the chemist Berthollet, the naturalist Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, as well as numerous artists, engineers, architects, doctors... They were charged with rediscovering modern and ancient Egypt, showing its natural riches, and the know-how of its inhabitants.

The first edition, called "Imperial," of the Description de l'Egypte was produced in four large formats, two of them specially created for it and named "Moyen-Egypte" and "Grand-Egypte" formats. A specific press was built for its printing, which stretched over twenty years, between 1809 and 1829. The Imperial edition proved so popular that a second edition in 37 volumes entirely in black and without the "Egypte ancienne et moderne" watermark, called the "Panckoucke" edition, was published from 1821 by the C.-L.-F. Panckoucke printing house (Paris).
The realization of this monument of erudition owes much to Baron Dominique Vivant Denon, illustrator, diplomat, collector and subsequently director of the Napoleon Museum at the Louvre who accompanied Napoleon to Egypt with numerous other scholars but decided alone to venture into the South of the country, while the other invited scientists remained confined to the Cairo region. The fabulous sketches brought back by Denon during his romantic ride gave Bonaparte the idea to send the other members of the Institute there and thus draw a faithful and complete portrait of the territory. Following Denon, it was thus the greatest French scientists and artists who ventured along the Nile as far as Nubia. Among them, the painter at the natural history museum H.J. Redouté (brother of Pierre-Joseph Redouté, author of the Roses), the mineralogist Dolomieu, the draftsman Joly, and the engineers Fourier and Costaz, charged with the scientific study of the ancient vestiges of Upper Egypt.
Probably for the first time assembled in such an expedition, the French scientific and artistic elite, composed of more than 160 "scholars" including nearly 50 artists, methodically studied Egypt for three years. They then carried out, under the aegis and to the glory of Napoleon, the most vast historical, geographical, scientific, economic and ethnological analysis ever carried out on a country. But it is perhaps the engravings that constituted the major technical challenge of this Description de l'Egypte, as witnessed by Yves Laissus, curator of the exhibition organized in 2009 by the RMN and the Army Museum at the Invalides:
"L'illustration, 836 planches dont une soixantaine en couleurs, gravées à l'eau forte et au burin dans des formats jusqu'alors inusités (le plus grand couvre près d'un mètre carré), a nécessité la construction de nouvelles formes et cuves pour la fabrication du papier, justifié l'invention, par Nicolas Conté, d'une machine destinée à alléger la besogne des graveurs, et exigé la réalisation de nouvelles presses capables d'imprimer ces images immenses. Certaines d'entre elles ont demandé deux années de travail. Près de 200 graveurs ont reproduit sur le cuivre les œuvres de 62 dessinateurs dont 46 ont participé à l'expédition." ["The illustration, 836 plates including about sixty in color, engraved with etching and burin in formats hitherto unused (the largest covers nearly one square meter), necessitated the construction of new molds and vats for paper manufacturing, justified the invention, by Nicolas Conté, of a machine intended to lighten the burden of engravers, and required the creation of new presses capable of printing these immense images. Some of them required two years of work. Nearly 200 engravers reproduced on copper the works of 62 draftsmen of whom 46 participated in the expedition."]
Rare and superb original engraving of exceptional workmanship and graphic quality, testimony to one of the most ambitious French editorial adventures.

Original etching in plano format, untrimmed, from the so-called "Imperial" edition of the Description de l'Égypte ou Recueil des observations et recherches faites en Égypte pendant l'expédition française, publié par les ordres de Sa Majesté l'Empereur Napoléon le Grand.
Produced between February 1802 and 1829 by order of Napoleon Bonaparte and published from 1809 [actually 1810], it was printed in 1000 copies on laid paper watermarked "Égypte ancienne et moderne" and offered to institutions.
Plate belonging to the Fish series, whose study was carried out by Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1772-1844), French naturalist who participated in the Egyptian campaign, and collected on that occasion numerous observations on mammals, reptiles and fish in particular.
Minor marginal foxing not touching the engraving, a small wormhole in the upper margin, otherwise excellent freshness and condition.


Volume NATURAL HISTORY, Fish:
These engravings show the scientific genius of French scholars at work on Egyptian soil, preparing it to become a French colony. This colonial project in gestation since the reign of Louis XIV was accompanied with Bonaparte's arrival by an in-depth study of fauna and flora through the work of the greatest naturalists, mineralogists, entomologists of the era. The Description de l'Egypte reveals the entirety of this immense scientific enterprise through its engravings, based on drawings by members of the Academy of Sciences including Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hillaire, Alire Raffenau-Delile or Henri-Joseph Redouté. In the words of Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire "Nous avons recueilli les matériaux du plus bel ouvrage qu'une nation ait pu faire entreprendre. En déplorant le sort de tant de braves guerriers, qui après tant de glorieux exploits ont succombé en Egypte, on se consolera par l'existence d'ouvrages aussi précieux." ["We have gathered the materials for the finest work that a nation could undertake. While deploring the fate of so many brave warriors, who after so many glorious exploits succumbed in Egypt, one will be consoled by the existence of such precious works."]

THE DESCRIPTION DE L'EGYPTE, IMPERIAL edition (1809-1829):
La Description de l'Egypte is one of the masterpieces of French publishing and the starting point of a new science: Egyptology. A titanic exposition of Egypt at the time of Bonaparte's conquests between 1798 and 1799, it is divided into 23 volumes including 13 volumes of engravings gathering nearly 1000 plates in black and 72 in color. The 6 volumes of plates titled Antiquités are devoted to the splendors of pharaonic Egypt. L'Histoire naturelle is divided into 3 volumes of engravings. One volume is devoted to Cartes géographiques et topographiques while the 3 volumes : Etat Moderne provide a striking portrait of Coptic and Islamic Egypt as it was seen by Bonaparte's Oriental armies.

The "Egyptian campaign," a military disaster, reveals through the engravings of the Description de l'Egypte the scientific success it became, thanks to the some 167 scholars members of the Commission of Sciences and Arts of the Institute of Egypt who followed Napoleon's army. The Institute brought together in Egypt the mathematician Monge, the chemist Berthollet, the naturalist Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, as well as numerous artists, engineers, architects, doctors... They were charged with rediscovering modern and ancient Egypt, showing its natural riches, and the know-how of its inhabitants.

The first edition, called "Imperial," of the Description de l'Egypte was produced in four large formats, two of them specially created for it and named "Moyen-Egypte" and "Grand-Egypte" formats. A specific press was built for its printing, which stretched over twenty years, between 1809 and 1829. The Imperial edition proved so popular that a second edition in 37 volumes entirely in black and without the "Egypte ancienne et moderne" watermark, called the "Panckoucke" edition, was published from 1821 by the C.-L.-F. Panckoucke printing house (Paris).
The realization of this monument of erudition owes much to Baron Dominique Vivant Denon, illustrator, diplomat, collector and subsequently director of the Napoleon Museum at the Louvre who accompanied Napoleon to Egypt with numerous other scholars but decided alone to venture into the South of the country, while the other invited scientists remained confined to the Cairo region. The fabulous sketches brought back by Denon during his romantic ride gave Bonaparte the idea to send the other members of the Institute there and thus draw a faithful and complete portrait of the territory. Following Denon, it was thus the greatest French scientists and artists who ventured along the Nile as far as Nubia. Among them, the painter at the natural history museum H.J. Redouté (brother of Pierre-Joseph Redouté, author of the Roses), the mineralogist Dolomieu, the draftsman Joly, and the engineers Fourier and Costaz, charged with the scientific study of the ancient vestiges of Upper Egypt.
Probably for the first time assembled in such an expedition, the French scientific and artistic elite, composed of more than 160 "scholars" including nearly 50 artists, methodically studied Egypt for three years. They then carried out, under the aegis and to the glory of Napoleon, the most vast historical, geographical, scientific, economic and ethnological analysis ever carried out on a country. But it is perhaps the engravings that constituted the major technical challenge of this Description de l'Egypte, as witnessed by Yves Laissus, curator of the exhibition organized in 2009 by the RMN and the Army Museum at the Invalides:
"L'illustration, 836 planches dont une soixantaine en couleurs, gravées à l'eau forte et au burin dans des formats jusqu'alors inusités (le plus grand couvre près d'un mètre carré), a nécessité la construction de nouvelles formes et cuves pour la fabrication du papier, justifié l'invention, par Nicolas Conté, d'une machine destinée à alléger la besogne des graveurs, et exigé la réalisation de nouvelles presses capables d'imprimer ces images immenses. Certaines d'entre elles ont demandé deux années de travail. Près de 200 graveurs ont reproduit sur le cuivre les œuvres de 62 dessinateurs dont 46 ont participé à l'expédition." ["The illustration, 836 plates including about sixty in color, engraved with etching and burin in formats hitherto unused (the largest covers nearly one square meter), necessitated the construction of new molds and vats for paper manufacturing, justified the invention, by Nicolas Conté, of a machine intended to lighten the burden of engravers, and required the creation of new presses capable of printing these immense images. Some of them required two years of work. Nearly 200 engravers reproduced on copper the works of 62 draftsmen of whom 46 participated in the expedition."]
Rare and superb original engraving of exceptional workmanship and graphic quality, testimony to one of the most ambitious French editorial adventures.

Original etching in plano format, uncut, extracted from the so-called "Imperial" edition of the Description de l'Égypte ou Recueil des observations et recherches faites en Égypte pendant l'expédition française, publié par les ordres de Sa Majesté l'Empereur Napoléon le Grand.
Created between February 1802 and 1829 by order of Napoleon Bonaparte and published from 1809 [actually 1810], it was printed in 1000 copies on watermarked laid paper "Égypte ancienne et moderne" and offered to institutions.
Plate belonging to the Mammals series, whose study was carried out by Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1772-1844), French naturalist who participated in the Egyptian campaign, and gathered numerous observations on mammals, reptiles and fish in particular.
Minor marginal worming not affecting the engraving, two wormholes in left margin, otherwise excellent state of freshness and preservation.


Volume NATURAL HISTORY, mammals:
These engravings show the scientific genius of French scholars at work on Egyptian soil, preparing it to become a French colony. This colonial project, developing since the reign of Louis XIV, was accompanied with Bonaparte's arrival by an in-depth study of fauna and flora through the work of the greatest naturalists, mineralogists, and entomologists of the time. The Description de l'Egypte reveals the entirety of this immense scientific enterprise throughout its engravings, based on drawings by members of the Academy of Sciences including Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hillaire, Alire Raffenau-Delile and Henri-Joseph Redouté. In the words of Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire "Nous avons recueilli les matériaux du plus bel ouvrage qu'une nation ait pu faire entreprendre. En déplorant le sort de tant de braves guerriers, qui après tant de glorieux exploits ont succombé en Egypte, on se consolera par l'existence d'ouvrages aussi précieux." ["We have gathered the materials for the finest work that a nation could undertake. While lamenting the fate of so many brave warriors, who after so many glorious exploits perished in Egypt, one will find consolation in the existence of such precious works."]

THE DESCRIPTION DE L'EGYPTE, IMPERIAL edition (1809-1829):
La Description de l'Egypte is one of the masterpieces of French publishing and the starting point of a new science: Egyptology. Titanic exposition of Egypt at the time of Bonaparte's conquests between 1798 and 1799, it is divided into 23 volumes including 13 volumes of engravings gathering nearly 1000 plates in black and 72 in color. The 6 volumes of plates entitled Antiquités are devoted to the splendors of Pharaonic Egypt. L'Histoire naturelle is divided into 3 volumes of engravings. One volume is devoted to Cartes géographiques et topographiques while the 3 volumes : Etat Moderne present a striking portrait of Coptic and Islamic Egypt as it was seen by Bonaparte's Army of the Orient.

The "Egyptian campaign," military disaster, reveals through the engravings of the Description de l'Egypte the scientific success it became, thanks to the some 167 scholars members of the Commission of Sciences and Arts of the Institute of Egypt who followed Napoleon's army. The Institute brought together in Egypt the mathematician Monge, the chemist Berthollet, the naturalist Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, as well as numerous artists, engineers, architects, doctors... They were charged with rediscovering modern and ancient Egypt, showing its natural riches, and the know-how of its inhabitants.

The first edition, called "Imperial," of the Description de l'Egypte was produced in four large formats, two of them specially created for it and named "Moyen-Egypte" and "Grand-Egypte" formats. A specific press was built for its printing, which stretched over twenty years, between 1809 and 1829. The Imperial edition proved so popular that a second edition in 37 volumes entirely in black and without the watermark "Egypte ancienne et moderne," called the "Panckoucke" edition, was published from 1821 by the C.-L.-F. Panckoucke printing house (Paris).
The realization of this monument of erudition owes much to Baron Dominique Vivant Denon, illustrator, diplomat, collector and subsequently director of the Napoleon Museum at the Louvre who accompanied Napoleon to Egypt with many other scholars but decided alone to venture into the South of the country, while the other invited scientists remained confined to the Cairo region. The fabulous sketches brought back by Denon during his romantic ride gave Bonaparte the idea to send the other members of the Institute there and thus create a faithful and complete portrait of the territory. Following Denon, it was therefore the greatest French scientists and artists who ventured along the Nile to Nubia. Among them, the painter at the natural history museum H.J. Redouté (brother of Pierre-Joseph Redouté, author of Les Roses), the mineralogist Dolomieu, the draftsman Joly, and the engineers Fourier and Costaz, charged with the scientific study of the ancient vestiges of Upper Egypt.
Probably for the first time assembled in such an expedition, the French scientific and artistic elite, composed of more than 160 "scholars" including nearly 50 artists, methodically studied Egypt for three years. They then carried out, under the aegis and to the glory of Napoleon, the most vast historical, geographical, scientific, economic and ethnological analysis ever carried out on a country. But it is perhaps the engravings that constituted the major technical challenge of this Description de l'Egypte, as testified by Yves Laissus, commissioner of the exhibition organized in 2009 by the RMN and the Army Museum at Les Invalides:
"L'illustration, 836 planches dont une soixantaine en couleurs, gravées à l'eau forte et au burin dans des formats jusqu'alors inusités (le plus grand couvre près d'un mètre carré), a nécessité la construction de nouvelles formes et cuves pour la fabrication du papier, justifié l'invention, par Nicolas Conté, d'une machine destinée à alléger la besogne des graveurs, et exigé la réalisation de nouvelles presses capables d'imprimer ces images immenses. Certaines d'entre elles ont demandé deux années de travail. Près de 200 graveurs ont reproduit sur le cuivre les œuvres de 62 dessinateurs dont 46 ont participé à l'expédition." ["The illustration, 836 plates of which about sixty in color, etched and engraved in previously unused formats (the largest covers nearly one square meter), required the construction of new molds and vats for papermaking, justified the invention, by Nicolas Conté, of a machine designed to lighten the work of engravers, and demanded the creation of new presses capable of printing these immense images. Some of them required two years of work. Nearly 200 engravers reproduced on copper the works of 62 draftsmen of whom 46 participated in the expedition."]
Rare and superb original engraving of exceptional craftsmanship and graphic quality, testimony to one of the most ambitious French editorial adventures.

Original etching in plano, untrimmed, extracted from the so-called "Imperial" edition of the Description of Egypt or Collection of observations and research made in Egypt during the French expedition, published by order of His Majesty Emperor Napoleon the Great.
Executed between February 1802 and 1829 by order of Napoleon Bonaparte and published from 1809 [actually 1810], it was printed in 1000 copies on watermarked laid paper "Ancient and modern Egypt" and offered to institutions.
Plate belonging to the series of Mammals, whose study was conducted by Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1772-1844), French naturalist who participated in the Egyptian campaign, and collected on this occasion numerous observations on mammals, reptiles and fish in particular.
Minimal and marginal worming not touching the engraving, two wormholes in left margin, otherwise excellent state of freshness and preservation.


NATURAL HISTORY volume, mammals:
These engravings show the scientific genius of French scholars at work on Egyptian soil, preparing it to become a French colony. This colonizing project in gestation since the reign of Louis XIV was accompanied with Bonaparte's arrival by an in-depth study of fauna and flora through the work of the greatest naturalists, mineralogists, entomologists of the time. The Description of Egypt reveals the entirety of this immense scientific enterprise through its engravings, after drawings by members of the Academy of Sciences including Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hillaire, Alire Raffenau-Delile or Henri-Joseph Redouté. According to Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire's words "We have gathered the materials for the most beautiful work that a nation could undertake. While deploring the fate of so many brave warriors, who after so many glorious exploits succumbed in Egypt, one will be consoled by the existence of such precious works."

THE DESCRIPTION OF EGYPT, IMPERIAL edition (1809-1829):
The Description of Egypt is one of the masterpieces of French publishing and the starting point of a new science: Egyptology. Titanic exposition of Egypt at the time of Bonaparte's conquests between 1798 and 1799, it is divided into 23 volumes including 13 volumes of engravings gathering nearly 1000 plates in black and 72 in color. The 6 volumes of plates entitled Antiquities are devoted to the splendors of Pharaonic Egypt. Natural History is divided into 3 volumes of engravings. One volume is devoted to Geographical and topographical maps while the 3 volumes : Modern State present a striking portrait of Coptic and Islamic Egypt as it was seen by Bonaparte's armies of the Orient.

The "Egyptian campaign", military disaster, reveals through the engravings of the Description of Egypt the scientific success it became, thanks to the some 167 scholars members of the Commission of Sciences and Arts of the Institute of Egypt who followed Napoleon's army. The Institute brought together in Egypt the mathematician Monge, the chemist Berthollet, the naturalist Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, as well as numerous artists, engineers, architects, doctors... They were charged with rediscovering modern and ancient Egypt, showing its natural riches, and the know-how of its inhabitants.

The first edition, called "Imperial", of the Description of Egypt was executed in four large formats, two of them specially created for it and named "Middle-Egypt" and "Grand-Egypt" formats. A specific press was built for its printing, which spread over twenty years, between 1809 and 1829. The Imperial edition proved so popular that a second edition in 37 volumes entirely in black and without the watermark "Ancient and modern Egypt", called "Panckoucke" edition, was published from 1821 by the C.-L.-F. Panckoucke printing house (Paris).
The realization of this monument of erudition owes much to baron Dominique Vivant Denon, illustrator, diplomat, collector and subsequently director of the Napoleon Museum of the Louvre who accompanied Napoleon to Egypt with numerous other scholars but decided alone to venture into the South of the country, while the other invited scientists remained confined in the Cairo region. The fabulous sketches brought back by Denon during his romantic ride gave Bonaparte the idea to send the other members of the Institute there and thus draw a faithful and complete portrait of the territory. Following Denon, it was therefore the greatest French scientists and artists who ventured along the Nile as far as Nubia. Among them, the painter at the museum of natural history H.J. Redouté (brother of Pierre-Joseph Redouté, author of the Roses), the mineralogist Dolomieu, the draughtsman Joly, and the engineers Fourier and Costaz, charged with the scientific study of the ancient vestiges of Upper Egypt.
Probably for the first time assembled in such an expedition, the French scientific and artistic elite, composed of more than 160 "scholars" including nearly 50 artists, methodically studied Egypt for three years. They then realized, under the aegis and to the glory of Napoleon, the most vast historical, geographical, scientific, economic and ethnological analysis ever conducted on a country. But it is perhaps the engravings that constituted the major technical challenge of this Description of Egypt, as testified by Yves Laissus, curator of the exhibition organized in 2009 by the RMN and the Army Museum at Les Invalides:
"The illustration, 836 plates including about sixty in colors, etched and engraved in formats hitherto unused (the largest covers nearly one square meter), required the construction of new forms and vats for paper manufacture, justified the invention, by Nicolas Conté, of a machine designed to lighten the burden of the engravers, and demanded the realization of new presses capable of printing these immense images. Some of them required two years of work. Nearly 200 engravers reproduced on copper the works of 62 draughtsmen of whom 46 participated in the expedition."
Rare and superb original engraving of exceptional workmanship and graphic quality, testimony to one of the most ambitious French editorial adventures.

Original etching in plano, untrimmed, extracted from the so-called "Imperial" edition of the Description de l'Égypte ou Recueil des observations et recherches faites en Égypte pendant l'expédition française, publié par les ordres de Sa Majesté l'Empereur Napoléon le Grand.
Executed between February 1802 and 1829 by order of Napoleon Bonaparte and published from 1809 [actually 1810], it was printed in 1000 copies on laid paper watermarked "Égypte ancienne et moderne" and offered to institutions.
Plate belonging to the Mammals series, the study of which was conducted by Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1772-1844), French naturalist who participated in the Egyptian campaign, and on this occasion collected numerous observations on mammals, reptiles and fish in particular.
Minor marginal worming not affecting the engraving, two wormholes in left margin, otherwise excellent fresh condition and preservation.


Volume NATURAL HISTORY, mammals:
These engravings show the scientific genius of French scholars at work on Egyptian soil, preparing it to become a French colony. This colonizing project in gestation since the reign of Louis XIV was accompanied with Bonaparte's arrival by an in-depth study of fauna and flora through the work of the greatest naturalists, mineralogists, entomologists of the time. The Description de l'Egypte reveals the entirety of this immense scientific enterprise through its engravings, after drawings by members of the Academy of Sciences including Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hillaire, Alire Raffenau-Delile or Henri-Joseph Redouté. In the words of Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire "Nous avons recueilli les matériaux du plus bel ouvrage qu'une nation ait pu faire entreprendre. En déplorant le sort de tant de braves guerriers, qui après tant de glorieux exploits ont succombé en Egypte, on se consolera par l'existence d'ouvrages aussi précieux." ["We have gathered the materials for the most beautiful work that a nation could have undertaken. While deploring the fate of so many brave warriors, who after so many glorious exploits succumbed in Egypt, one will be consoled by the existence of such precious works."]

THE DESCRIPTION DE L'EGYPTE, IMPERIAL edition (1809-1829):
La Description de l'Egypte is one of the masterpieces of French publishing and the starting point of a new science: Egyptology. Titanic exposition of Egypt at the time of Bonaparte's conquests between 1798 and 1799, it is divided into 23 volumes including 13 volumes of engravings gathering nearly 1000 plates in black and 72 in color. The 6 volumes of plates entitled Antiquités are devoted to the splendors of pharaonic Egypt. L'Histoire naturelle is divided into 3 volumes of engravings. One volume is devoted to Cartes géographiques et topographiques while the 3 volumes : Etat Moderne present a striking portrait of Coptic and Islamic Egypt as it was seen by Bonaparte's armies of the Orient.

The "Egyptian campaign," military disaster, reveals through the engravings of the Description de l'Egypte the scientific success it became, thanks to the some 167 scholars members of the Commission of Sciences and Arts of the Institute of Egypt who followed Napoleon's army. The Institute brought together in Egypt the mathematician Monge, the chemist Berthollet, the naturalist Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, as well as numerous artists, engineers, architects, doctors... They were charged with rediscovering modern and ancient Egypt, showing its natural riches, and the know-how of its inhabitants.

The first edition, called "Imperial," of the Description de l'Egypte was executed in four large formats, two of them specially created for it and named "Moyen-Egypte" and "Grand-Egypte" formats. A specific press was built for its printing, which extended over twenty years, between 1809 and 1829. The Imperial edition proved so popular that a second edition in 37 volumes entirely in black and without the "Egypte ancienne et moderne" watermark, called the "Panckoucke" edition, was published from 1821 by the C.-L.-F. Panckoucke printing house (Paris).
The realization of this monument of erudition owes much to Baron Dominique Vivant Denon, illustrator, diplomat, collector and subsequently director of Napoleon's Louvre museum who accompanied Napoleon to Egypt with many other scholars but decided alone to venture into the South of the country, while the other invited scientists remained confined to the Cairo region. The fabulous sketches brought back by Denon from his romantic ride gave Bonaparte the idea to send the other members of the Institute there and thus draw a faithful and complete portrait of the territory. Following Denon, it was therefore the greatest French scientists and artists who ventured along the Nile as far as Nubia. Among them, the painter at the natural history museum H.J. Redouté (brother of Pierre-Joseph Redouté, author of the Roses), the mineralogist Dolomieu, the draftsman Joly, and the engineers Fourier and Costaz, charged with the scientific study of the ancient vestiges of Upper Egypt.
Probably for the first time assembled in such an expedition, the French scientific and artistic elite, composed of more than 160 "scholars" including nearly 50 artists, methodically studied Egypt for three years. They then realized, under the aegis and for the glory of Napoleon, the most vast historical, geographical, scientific, economic and ethnological analysis ever carried out on a country. But it is perhaps the engravings that constituted the major technical challenge of this Description de l'Egypte, as testified by Yves Laissus, curator of the exhibition organized in 2009 by the RMN and the Army Museum at the Invalides:
"L'illustration, 836 planches dont une soixantaine en couleurs, gravées à l'eau forte et au burin dans des formats jusqu'alors inusités (le plus grand couvre près d'un mètre carré), a nécessité la construction de nouvelles formes et cuves pour la fabrication du papier, justifié l'invention, par Nicolas Conté, d'une machine destinée à alléger la besogne des graveurs, et exigé la réalisation de nouvelles presses capables d'imprimer ces images immenses. Certaines d'entre elles ont demandé deux années de travail. Près de 200 graveurs ont reproduit sur le cuivre les œuvres de 62 dessinateurs dont 46 ont participé à l'expédition." ["The illustration, 836 plates including about sixty in colors, engraved with etching and burin in formats hitherto unused (the largest covers nearly one square meter), necessitated the construction of new molds and vats for paper manufacturing, justified the invention, by Nicolas Conté, of a machine intended to lighten the burden of engravers, and required the realization of new presses capable of printing these immense images. Some of them required two years of work. Nearly 200 engravers reproduced on copper the works of 62 draftsmen of whom 46 participated in the expedition."]
Rare and superb original engraving of exceptional craftsmanship and graphic quality, testimony to one of the most ambitious French publishing adventures.

First Italian edition translated by Giuseppe Venturoli of the work originally published in English under the title: "Experiments and Observations on Animal Heat". Illustrated with 3 folding plates at the end of the volume.
Contemporary half brown sheep binding. Smooth spine with 4 fleurons and multiple roulettes. Red morocco title label. A 1cm loss between the title label and the following compartment. Rubbing. Corners with paper loss.
Adair Crawford (1748-1795), chemist and physicist, was above all a pioneer of calorimetry, which measures quantities of heat. Crawford presents in his work new experiments proving that gas exchange in animal respiration is combustion.

First edition.
Plain paper cover.

First edition. Plain paper cover. Rare.