[France]. [Map]. CASSINI DE THURY (César-François). [Carte g - Lot 29

[France]. [Map]. CASSINI DE THURY (César-François). [Carte générale et particulière de la France. Paris, Dépôt Général de la Guerre, ca. 1793-1815]. Rare and important complete collection of the 181 sheets of the famous Carte générale de la France, known as the "Cassini" map. The first cartographic representation of France based on geodetic surveys carried out in the field, at a scale of one line for one hundred toises, i.e. 1:86400e, the map consists of 181 copper-engraved sheets. It represents a remarkable scientific advance, and offers a new apprehension of the national territory, illustrated in a homogeneous way, with a luxury of details and a remarkable richness of toponyms. This copy presents the folded leaves, lined with period gray interfacing, in 15 cardboard slipcases measuring approx. 15x16x21 cm, covered with midnight-blue marbled paper, with green vellum edges, and side-opening system with lace; handwritten label pre-printed and completed by hand on the upper side of each box. The whole set is preserved in a period trunk, approx. 54x82x26 cm, in white wood, compartmentalized, painted black on the outside, with carrying handles on two sides, and bearing the white-painted title on the top (qq. marks of use and a small accident to the lid; sheet no. 3 brought back from another collection). This compact, transportable presentation of the map is quite unusual, and may have been designed for military use.