Essai historique sur le commerce et la navigation de la Mer-Noire, ou voyage et entreprises pour établir des rapports commerciaux et maritimes entre les ports de la Mer-Noire et ceux de la Méditerranée….

First edition illustrated with a large folding map inserted out of text: "Carte de la navigation intérieure d'une grande partie de la Russie européenne et de l'ancienne Pologne… dressée par J.D. Barbié du Bocage".

Contemporary red Russian half morocco, spine with four raised bands ruled in gilt and decorated with double gilt fillets, gilt date at foot, bottle-green morocco lettering-piece, a few minor rubs to spine and boards, marbled paper boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, bookplate mounted on a pastedown.

Small scuffs to the lower edge of a pastedown.

The author, a merchant of Marseilles origin, conceived the plan of establishing an economic alliance between France, Russia and Poland in order to open new commercial outlets in the Black Sea and the Bosphorus to French trade.