Voyage en Abyssinie ex‚cut‚ pendant les ann‚es 1839 1840 1841 1842 1843? Histoire Naturelle Zoologie Atlas [Only].

This is a rare or used book from the Berkelouw Rare Books Department.

Paris: Arthus Bertrand n.d. (1845-1849). Folio (50 x 34cm.) bound in contemporary full olive green morocco with elaborately gilt decorative borders on both front and rear boards and inside dentelles. Spine (slightly darkened) extra gilt and with raised bands. All edges gilt. Comprising title-page contents-page and 40 stunning hand-coloured full-page engraved plates of mammals birds reptiles fish and insects each with its original tissue guard. Complete. There is some non-disturbing light foxing to the preliminary pages. Nonetheless this is a most magnificent and handsome example of French presentation binding. With the patronage of the French Government Charlemagne Theophile Lefebvre (1811-1860) naval lieutenant and Knight of the Legion of Honour led a "commission scientifique" including zoologist A. Petit botanist Quartin-Dillon and draughtsman Vignaud in the exploration of Ethiopia. The findings were subsequently published in six volumes plus three atlas volumes (Howgego 2004 E19 p. 208) of which the current volume is one. Howgego makes reference to the mission thus In 1837 the French Navy dispatched Charlemagne Theophile Lefebvre (1811-60) on an exploratory mission? [T]he mission proceeded from Massawa through the territories of Tigre Shoa and Gojam and around Lake Tana and Gondar. Lefebvre amassed a vast store of geographical sociological archaeological and linguistic data. He made several more visits to Ethiopia returning to Massawa in 1847-48 and in 1854-58 initiating trade with Aduwa. (p. 207)