The botanist Pitton de Tournefort was sent on a mission to the Levant by Louis XIV in 1700. He was accompanied by the artist Claude Aubriet and the doctor Gundelsheimer. Pitton de Tournefort travelled extensively in the Archipelago, visiting most of the islands in the Cyclades (Andros, Tinos, Delos, Santorini etc.) and many in the Northern Sporades (Samos, Mitylene, Skyros, Tenedos). He also spent a considerable period in Crete before going to Constantinople and Asia Minor, the coast of the Black Sea and then overland through Armenia to Persia. The travellers returned to Paris in June 1702. Pitton de Tournefort began to prepare his manuscript for publication but his health failed after the printing of vol. I and he died in 1708, before vol. II was ready for the press. According to the preface the unknown editor kept back vol. I until vol. II appeared in 1717, and the two were published together... The very fine plates are after Aubriet's drawings and illustrate costumes, botanical and zoological specimens, views and maps' (Navari).

First edition, 2 volumes, 4to, [xviii], 544; [iv], 526, [xl] (index) pp., 152 engraved plates and maps (some folding), printed on fine paper, occasional light foxing, contemporary calf gilt, royal arms to covers, neat restoration to extremities, corners worn, a very good set.

Atabey 959; Blackmer 1318; Koç 106;, Hunt 444; cf. Lipperheide 1442.