"[4 Volumes] Description de Paris, de Versailles, de Marly, de Meudon, de S. Cloud, de Fontainebleau ... Tome Quatrieme... [and] ... Tome Cinquieme... [and] ... Tome Sixieme... [and] ... Tome Septieme...",

This lot includes volumes IV-VII of this 8-volume series on the city of Paris and its environs by Jean Aimar Piganiol de la Force. These four volumes include descriptions of the historic districts of Saint Paul, Saint Benoit, Saint Andre, Luxembourg, and Saint-Germain-des-Pres. Accompanying each volume are numerous engravings by Scottin, Lucas, Hérisset and Aveline depicting bird's-eye plans of the districts, architectural views, and important historical sites. There are approximately 9 bird's-eye views and 28 other engravings, most of which are folding. This series was the most detailed "guidebook" of Paris in the mid-18th century.

16mo. Vol. IV - 762 pp.; Vol. V - 564 pp.; Vol. VI - 472 pp.; Vol. VII - 468 pp. Hardbound in contemporary full brown mottled calf, with raised bands, elaborately gilt-decorated spines, dark red morocco spine labels, and marbled endpapers.

References:

Condition: B+

The engravings are clean and bright with minor offsetting, mis-folds, and short tears on some. Two bird's-eye plans have a tear that has been closed on verso with cello tape. The text in each of the volumes is mostly clean and bright, with occasional minor soiling or foxing, and a few pages with tears. The covers and spines show light wear, bumped corners, and some cracking along the spines.