Description de l'Egypte

Estimate

30,000 - 35,000 GBP

bidding is closed

Description

ou recueil des observations et des recherches qui ont été faites en Egypte pendant l'expédition de l'armée française. Paris: C.L.F. Panckoucke, 1820-1826

Second edition, the plates bound from the original parts in 5 volumes, elephant folio (675 x 485mm.), 897 engraved plates as listed below, many double-page and/or folding, all with tissue guards, one lithographed portrait, 14 printed text leaves (see below), contemporary red morocco-backed red boards, gilt, the covers lettered "Ritter von Speck", without text volumes, lacking plate 11 vol.5 and 2 plates of the Carte géographique/générale (no.2 and 3, of 3), some spotting, binding very slightly scuffed, slight variation in colour to spines and upper cover of vol.5

Provenance

Ritter von Speck, lettered in gilt on upper covers

Literature

cf. Atabey 343; cf. Blackmer 476

Catalogue Note

a very handsome copy of the plates.

The Description was the first comprehensive study of ancient and modern Egypt. Its influence was enormous, establishing Egyptology as an intellectual discipline and nurturing a passion for Egyptian art throughout the western world. Edited by some of the leading intellectual figures in France, the Description also includes contributions from celebrated artists such as Jacques Barraband, Pierre-Joseph Redouté, Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, Jules-César Savigny and others.

This set is bound from the livraisons (parts) in order of publication. The spines are numbered according to their contents - thus volume 1 contains livraisons 1-38. The final volume contains livraisons 160-206, but the plates for livraisons 207-211 are to be found at the beginning of the first volume (though 2 general maps are missing). The plates are therefore not arranged according to subject.

The text volumes are not present. It is probable that the missing "Planches relatives au text in 8^o " would have been bound into the text volumes, possibly along with the 2 missing maps.

antiquités, volumes 1-5, half-title, 5 printed titles, frontispiece and 419 plates, with a duplicate of plate 3 vol.1 but lacking plate 11 vol.5
etat moderne, volumes 1-2, 2 printed titles, 170 plates, complete
histoire naturelle, volumes 1-2, 3 printed titles (including vol.2 bis), 244 plates, complete
atlas, printed title, 51 plates, comprising: title, key (Tableau d'assemblage), Caractères topographiques... alphabet harmonique, and 47 maps (numbered 1-47, complete), plus plate 1 (of 3) Carte géographique/générale
"planches relatives au text", comprising the following plates (of more, see footnote above): 1. Rosetta stone, 8 plates (each with 2 images, numbered 1-16, complete); 2. "Tableau synoptique des constellations"; 3. "Produits de la machine à graver''; 4. "Canevas trigonométrique du Kaire [Alexandrie]"; 5. "Médailles trouvées en Syrie"
and 2 further printed leaves: "Tableau général" leaf (i.e. contents) and "A MM. les Souscripteurs" leaf