Algérie historique, pittoresque et monumentale. Recueil de vues, monuments, cérémonies, costumes, armes et portraits dessinés d'après nature [...].

5 parts in 3 vol., lge folio; engr. title and 138 pl. (some foxing, esp. on text pp., occ. pl. sl. age-toned, occ. sl. marg. (damp)stains, marg. tear strengthened to pl. 23 of vol. III).

Mod. three-quarter light brown leather, brown cloth imitating snake skin on gilt-ruled covers, spines with gilt-ruled raised bands, brown spr. edges (sm. def. on front cover of vol. II, occ. sl. traces of use).

Rare first edition of a fundamental work on Algeria only issued to 500 copies, by the French archaelogist Berbrugger (1801-1869), who gathered Algerian manuscripts forming the core of the National Library of Algeria of which he was the first conservator. The work is divided in 5 parts devoted to: the provinces of Alger, Oran, Bône (Annaba département now), Constantine and the last to the people, coins and flora of Algeria. Illustrated with a chromolithogr. title, 128 lithogr. plates (most on tinted background and 3 hand-coloured) figuring maps, city views, buildings, portraits and indigenous people: Alger, Oran, streets of Alger, Roman theater of Guelma, Casbah, faubourg of Bab-Azoun, a Moorish ball, etc. Also with some tailpieces. The 4th part deals with coins and is illustrated with in-text ill. The 5th part is devoted to botany and contains 10 hand-coloured plates. The last 2 parts gave both a separate title page with large vignette. Work totalling 138 (of 142?) plates.
Ref. Gay 864. - Colas 298. - Lipperheide 1594. - Hiller 80. - Brunet I:782. - Not in Blackmer [sale cat.] nor Abbey.