Peter Bichsel   Fine Books

Raynal, Guillaume-Thomas. Histoire philosophique et politique des établissements et du commerce des Européens dans les deux Indes. 4 vols. + Atlas vol..

With engr. author’s portrait and engr. plate in vol. I and with 5 (vol. I), 4 (vol. II), 10 (vol. III), and 3 (vol. IV) tables. Atlas with 50 engr. maps numbered 1–49 + 17bis. 4to. Contemp. full calf with gilt-lettered spine label. Gilt-stamped noble supralibros „XS“ or „SX“ on all 5 front boards. – Genève, Jean-Léonard Pellet, 1780.

Valuable quarto-issue of the 1780 Geneva edition of Raynal’s important work on the relations between the European colonial powers and their conquests and domains in the Far East and South America (“deux Indes“). A shorter first edition was published anonymously in Amsterdam in 1770. Raynal’s History of the two Indias, though forbidden by the church in 1772, was one of the most read work of the age of Enlightenment. – Cohen/de R. 854. – Outer hinges cracking in some places, upper spine end of vol. II defective. Inside but minor browning, very clean. A good set in a contemp. binding. – Best.-Nr. 19735