Voyage de decouvertes aux terres australes executé par ordre de S.M. l'Empereur et Roi. Partie historique rédigée par M. F. Péron. Atlas par MM. Lesueurs et Petit.

Atlas: 1 (of 2) vol., folio: 40 pl. (some foxing and spotting, tail waterstained).

Contemp. mottled calf, covers ruled with a double gilt roll-stamp fillet, marbled edges, richly gilt flat spine with 2 labels, gilt inside dentelles (lower part waterstained, corners, turn-ins and joints sl. rubbed).

First of the two atlases of the first edition (the 3 text vol. 4to, 1807-1816, are missing) of one the most important and famous descriptions of Australia ever published, based on a journey commanded by Nicolas Thomas Baudin (1754-1803) to examine the western and southern coasts of Australia ("New Holland"), from Sydney to Terre Napoléon (South Australia), and especially to investigate a belief that a strait existed linking the southern sea with the Gulf of Carpentaria, thus dividing New Holland into two large islands. Ill. with 40 plates (numbered II-XLI, as is usually the case), depicting 1 map of Sydney, 5 hand-coloured coastal views, 12 portraits (6 coloured) of named Aborigines, 11 natural history subjects (5 coloured), 9 topographical views (1 coloured), and 2 coloured native weapons, by Nicolas-Martin Petit (1777-1804) and Charles-Martin Lesueur (1778-1846).
Ref. Sabin 60998. - Nissen (ZBI) 3120. - Ferguson, Bibliography of Australia, 449, 536 & 603 (ext. ref.).‎ - BnF.
Prov. Jacques Benoît Powis (bookpl.). - [Georges Petit].