BRION DE LA TOUR, Louis. - Lot 16

BRION DE LA TOUR, Louis. A General Overview of France. Paris, Desnos, 1765–1766. Quarto. Contemporary fawn-colored speckled half-basane, decorated ribbed spine, red morocco title label, gilt title, marbled paper covers (spine slightly rubbed, upper joint split along its length, some oxidation on the text, first and last pages, 2 slightly stained maps). First edition of this beautiful 18th-century French atlas. Very fine maps, finely engraved and hand-colored. A geographical and cartographic work produced by the King’s engineer-geographer for globes and spheres, Louis Brion de La Tour (1743–1803), in collaboration with Louis-Charles Desnos, Rizzi-Lannoni, and various contributors. All set in engraved Baroque-style frames, printed on thick laid paper Contains: 56 plates. 3 parts: 1. DESNOS. Analytical Map of France. A large title page engraved by Baizier, 1766 APDR, , 30 maps, including the large geospheric projection followed by 2 odographic maps (table of distances… and All the Most Frequented Roads…) in circular diagrams… 2. RIZZI-ZANNONI. Le Petit Neptune François, or Map of the Kingdom’s Maritime Coasts. Including a portion of those of England, Spain, and Italy Paris: Desnos, 1766 APDR. Includes an engraved title page, 3 double-page coastal maps with fine watercolor details, and a large fold-out map of France “divided into its 58 provinces,” engraved in black, which, according to the “Table of Maps,” should be bound before the title page of this section. That is, 5 plates: one engraved title page, 4 maps, including one large fold-out map. 3. MICHEL. *L'Indicateur Fidèle* or *Guide for Travelers* showing all the royal and private roads of France.... Paris, 1765. Large title page engraved by Aubin, followed by a large fold-out engraving of a dedication to Cassini de Thury dated 1764 (frame, title, and picturesque scene featuring Cassini’s grand coat of arms), 17 maps, most of which are fold-outs, for a total of 19 plates. Bound at the end: -Prospectus of the Guide for Travelers, covering the royal and private roads of France. (1)-6 pp. and its [Supplement], which is more complete, 9 pp.