LEFEBVRE, Charlemagne Théophile.

Voyage en Abyssinie execute pendant les annees 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842, 1843 par une commission scientifique.

Stock Code

103333

Paris, A. Bertrand, 1845

£22,500

The complete atlas volumes of the most important work on Ethiopia.

'Increasing French interest in Ethiopia led to the despatch of an important scientific mission composed of Lefebvre, a naval officer, Petit and Quartin-Dillon, two medical doctors, and Vignaud, an artist, all of whom travelled extensively in Tegré, Bagemder, and Shawa from 1839 to 1843. The expedition visited the principal towns of Ethiopia Adwaz, Aksum, Adegrat, Chalaqot, Ankobar, Angolalah, and Gondar as well as villages markets and monasteries. The result of the mission was the most comprehensive study of the country produced up to that time' (Pankhurst).

6 text volumes (not present with this set) were issued. The first part of the very impressive plate volumes is devoted to the expedition's travels, ethnology and archaeology, and contains landscapes, portraits, weapons, etc. as well as antiquities at Aksum, Gondar, and elsewhere. Parts two and three are devoted to zoology and botany respectively.

The present

Description

First edition, 3 atlases bound in 2 vols; folio; 203 plates plates comprising: [Album Historique, Ethnologique et Archéologique] large folding map mounted on linen, 59 lithographed plates (3 of which are folding) most coloured, part-coloured or tinted bound with [Album Zoologie:] 40 hand-coloured engraved plates of mammals, birds, reptiles and fish, and insects, separately bound [Atlas Botanique:] 103 engraved plates, some light foxing throughout; half green morocco over green cloth boards, gilt title blind stamped to covers, spine gilt ruled with title and tooling, a fine copy.