Relation d'un voyage du Levant [...] contenant l'histoire ancienne & moderne de plusieurs isles de l'archipel, de Constantinople, des côtes de la Mer Noire, de l'Arménie, de la Géorgie, des frontières de Perse et de l'Asie Mineure. [...].

2 parts in 1 vol., 4to: [28]-188, [2]-208-[16] pp.; 88 pls (large occ. waterstains, some marg. tears).

Contemp. marbled calf, gilt-roll spine with raised bands, red edges (worn, rubbed, sm. lack of leather).

Edition made up of the letters that Tournefort sent to the Count of Pontchartrain during his journey from March 1700 to June 1702, ill. with 134 etchings after Aubriet: 88 pl. (4 fold.) and 46 in the text depicting costumes, fauna and flora, town views, antique monuments. The French botanist Tournefort (1656-1708) was sent to the East on the recommendation of the Count of Pontchartrain, Secretary of State, who wanted to set up scientific expeditions to study natural history, geography , economy, religions and foreign cultures. He visited Crete, the Greek islands, Constantinople, Armenia, Georgia, a part of Asia Minor in the company of the draughtsman Claude Aubriet and the German botanist Andreas Gundelsheimer. The first ed. was published in 1717. Ref. Lipperheide 1442 (134 engr.). - Nissen ZBI 4154 (131 engr.). - Brunet V:903. - Blackmer, Sotheby's, 329 (1st ed.).