Figures de l'histoire de France [...].

4to: [2] pp.; 167 pl. protected with tissue guards (without the dedication pl.; clear marg. damp stain in begin., sl. spotting, occ. sl. age-toned, marg. wormtrack and wormhole).

Contemp. half calf, marbled paper covers, gilt ruled spine with raised bands (covers sl. rubbed, wormholes to spine, front flyleaf missing). Untrimmed copy on strong laid paper (29,5 x 22cm).

First issue of this work on the history of France from Pharamond until the year 1315, entirely copper-engraved, counting a total of 16 instalments, initiated by Le Bas who launched the subscription in 1778, and taken over in 1785 by Moreau the Young. He replaced all the plates by Le Bas after Lepiécé by his own compositions. Contains 167 plates incl. the frontispiece, as mentionned by Cohen, numbered 1-154 (two pl. numb. 143) and 12 unnumbered plates (only existing in the 1785 ed.). Our copy contains 26 plates by Le Bas after Lepiécé and Monnet of the suite initiated by Le Bas and replaced by Moreau, as it happens sometimes (cfr. Cohen). The plates composed of half-length vignettes within a border are accompanied with a text by Dingé and not by Garnier. Bound with an "Avis" addressed to the subscribers and with the first list of the subscribers of this work.
Ref. Cohen 737-738.
Prov. "De la mortuaire de Mr. I. de Schietere Lophem" (contemp. ms. entry). - "À Madame Van Huerne, née de Schietere" (id.), the writer of these two ms. entries added his opinion on the book: "Le lecteur passera légèrement les endroits ou l'autheur a eu la légèreté d'être trop peu indulgent envers l'église et ses ministres, prévenu de ceci, il épuisera de cet ouvrage le bon, et ne s'attachera pas au mauvais [...]". - Mod. armorial bookpl.