Description de l'Égypte

FIRST EDITION, bound in 33 volumes, various folio sizes, 927 engraved plates, 62 coloured, PROFUSELY EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED with additional volumes containing c.246 hand-written biographies, c.170 autograph letters, signed letters and documents, c.190 portraits, 36 medals and an additional volume by Gau, uniformly bound in contemporary half calf, spines gilt with red morocco labels, skilful restoration to bindings

A UNIQUE COPY OF NAPOLEON'S MONUMENTAL UNDERTAKING, EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED AND EXPANDED WITH SIX VOLUMES OF ADDITIONAL MATERIAL, INCLUDING AUTOGRAPH AND SIGNED LETTERS, DOCUMENTS, FRENCH AND ENGLISH MEDALS, HISTORICAL PORTRAITS, AND MANUSCRIPT BIOGRAPHIES. THE WHOLE ASSEMBLED BY THE DISTINGUISHED FRENCH VETERINARY SURGEON AND BIBLIOPHILE JEAN-BAPTISTE HUZARD (1755-1838), AND WITH ADDITIONAL TITLES AND LEAVES PRINTED BY HIS WIFE WHO WAS A PUBLISHER AND PRINTER.



The set comprises:



12 TEXT VOLUMES, (numbered 1-12 on spines), folio (395 x 250mm.), 1809-1822, 35 engraved plates



11 ATLAS VOLUMES, ELEPHANT FOLIO (705 x 520mm.), comprising:



Introduction, one volume (numbered 1 on spine), letterpress
ANTIQUITÉS, 5 volumes (numbered 2-6), 1809-1822, engraved frontispiece and 424 engraved plates, including 30 coloured by hand or printed in colour (99 in double-elephant folio vol. - see below)
ETAT MODERNE, 2 volumes (numbered 7-8), 1809-1817, 170 engraved plates (including 12 in double-elephant folio vol. - see below)
HISTOIRE NATURELLE, 3 volumes (numbered 9-11), 1809-1817, 244 engraved plates, 32 coloured by hand, including 14 ornithological plates



4 ATLAS VOLUMES, DOUBLE ELEPHANT FOLIO (3 vol. 1100 x 6800mm.; 1 vol. 1300 x 785mm), comprising:



ANTIQUITÉS AND ETAT MODERNE, 3 volumes (numbered 1-3), containing the outsize plates from these sections (Antiquités 99 plates; Etat moderne 12 plates)
CARTE TOPOGRAPHIQUE DE L'ÉGYPTE, one volume (numbered 4), 53 engraved plates and maps on 49 sheets, including title



for a fuller description, including extra-illustrations bound in these volumes, see online at sothebys.com



EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED WITH:



"Lettre des membres du divan du Kaire au Général Bonaparte", Paris, an XI, 20pp., French and Arabic text, printed on blue paper in red and black, bound at end of text vol.4



6 ADDITIONAL VOLUMES, 5 uniform in size and binding with the text, 1 uniform with plates, comprising:



("Médailles - volume 13" on spine), one volume with 36 medals commemorating the expedition in Egypt and the scientific, political and military figures of the time, including Napoleon, Nelson, Desaix, Kléber, Denon, Abercrombie, etc., housed in 4 recessed trays within the vol., a few missing



("Pièces I^ere P^ie, Mélanges - volume 14 "), one volume with title dated 1833, containing a printed catalogue description of this copy in 1842, additional maps by Ortelius and others, printed articles (and manuscript copies), additional plates, 62pp. manuscript "Rapport fait au gouvernement français des évenemens qui se sont passis en Egytpe...", addressed to "Citoyens Consuls", etc.



("Pièces II^eme P^ie, Biographie A[-Z] - volume 15-17"), 3 volumes, titled "Notices biographiques sur les généraux, administrateurs, savans, litterateurs, artistes, employés, etc., qui ont concouru par leurs talens... a l'Expedition et a la Description de l'Egypte. 1838", with c.246 MANUSCRIPT BIOGRAPHIES, MANY ACCOMPANIED BY PORTRAITS AND AUTOGRAPH LETTERS, SIGNED DOCUMENTS, ETC., including examples signed by Napoleon, Abercrombie, Andréossy, Berthier, Berthollet, Conté, Denon, Desaix, Desgenettes, Dolomieu, Fourier, Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, Girard, Jomard, Junot, Kléber, Larrey, Louis XVIII, Marmont, Menou, Monge, Murat, Admiral Nelson and Talleyrand (see select list below).



Gau, F.C. Antiquitiés de la Nubie... ouvrage faisant suite au grand ouvrage de la Commission d'Egypte. Stuttgart: Cotta, and Paris, Firmin Didot, 1822, 78 engraved plates (numbered 1-64, and 1-14), 5 hand-coloured, engraved vignettes, bound uniform in size and binding with plates, elephant folio

Jean-Baptiste Huzard (1755-1838), veterinary surgeon and bibliophile, ownership leaf in text volume 1. His wife Marie-Rosalie Huzard (née Vallat-la-Chapelle; 1767-1849) was a publisher and printer, from a family of Parisian printers

Atabey 343; Blackmer 476; Leblanc, P. Bibliothèque Huzard (Paris: Madame Bouchard-Huzard, 1842), Part 2, item 4438 (pp. 401-410)

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The Description de l'Égypte was the first scientific survey of all Egypt, from its antiquities to its agriculture including language, music, costume, and natural history, and it concludes with a detailed and accurate map of the region. The numerous plates depicting the antiquities provide a comprehensive record of the richness of ancient Egyptian culture.

At the time of publication, the Description de l'Égypte was the largest printed work ever produced. Its influence was enormous, establishing Egyptology as an intellectual discipline and nurturing a passion for Egyptian art throughout the western world. Edited by some of the leading intellectual figures in France, the Description also includes contributions from celebrated artists such as Jacques Barraband, Pierre-Joseph Redouté, Geoffrey Saint-Hilaire, Jules-César Savigny and others.

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS OF DOCUMENTS AND LETTERS INCLUDE: 

1 page letter signed "Andréossy", on headed paper1 page manuscript document signed "Belliard", on headed paper, and others Manuscript document signed "Bonaparte", on headed paper, Cairoanother document, signed "Bonaparte"Autograph letter signed Berthier1 page letter signed "Berthollet"1 page manuscript signed "Conté"Manuscript document signed "Damas", on headed paper, Cairo, "au commissaire ordonnateur general"Manuscript document signed "Daure", on headed paper, Cairo, "au Général en Chef"2 page manuscript document signed "Denon", on headed paper3 page autograph letter by Desgenettes, referring to "l'expédition d'Egypte"2 page manuscript "Armée d'Egypte... Etat des effets...", signed on verso by Kleber and others2 page manuscript document on headed paper, signed "Estève" (payeur-general), Cairo1 page manuscript signed "Fourier", Notice Biographique Sur M. le Baron Fourier, Extrait de la Revue Encyclopédique (Juin 1830), 16 pagesAutograph letter, signed "Ganteaume", 1 pageAutograph letter signed, Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire1 page manuscript document signed "Girard", on headed paper2 page manuscript document on headed paper signed "Grobert", Cairo, "A l'ordinnateur en chef de l'armée"2 page manuscript letter to Berthier from Habaiby, captain of the MameluksAutograph letter signed "Jollois", on headed paper "Commission charge de diriger l'exécution de l'ouvrage sur l'Egypte", addressed to "chef du bureau typographique"Copy of letter, signed "Jomard", headed "Commission chargée de la vente de la Description de l'Egypte"Autograph note by Jomard concerning the Description de L'EgypteManuscript list, signed "Joubert", "Etat des effets qui ont été pris par l'armée du grand Visir"Manuscript document, signed "Kleber", on headed paper, "a l'ordonnateur en chef", Cairoanother, signed "Kleber", to "citoyen Desgenettes"Document "Trésorerie nationale, armée d'Egypte", printed with manuscript, signed "Lannes"another, signed at Cairo, with manuscript in French and ArabicManuscript document signed "Larrey", on headed paper, CairoLetter and document signed, Louis XVIIIAutograph letter signed by Marmont as "Duc de Raguse"Joachim Murat, King of Naples, 2 letters signedMustapha Pasha, receipt signed (?) or at least inscribed in Arabic, as prisoner of war, acknowledging receipt of 4178 livres, Cairo 18002 page manuscript, signed "Nelson & Bronte", on HMS VictoryAutograph letter, 2pp., to Général Kleber, signed "Nicolas Papazoglus"Poussielgue, paymaster general for the Mediterranean, document signed 1800Manuscript document, signed "Royer" (pharmacien en chef de l'armée), on headed paper, CairoAutograph letter, signed "J.B. Say", 2pp.Autograph note, signed "Talleyrand"1 page manuscript document signed "Tallien", on headed paperManuscript document, signed "Tirlet" (le chef de l'état-major de l'artillerie), on headed paper, Cairo2 page autograph letter, signed "Toussaint l'Ouverture", on headed paperand many others

TEXT VOLUMES: 12 volumes (numbered 1-12 on spines), folio (395 x 250mm.), 1809-1822, volume 1 with additional leaf inserted before title "Exemplaire de la Bibliothèque de J.-B. Huzard, 1833", volume 12 with plate lists and advice to the binder bound in at end, all with half-titles, 4 portraits (Claude Louis Berthollet, Michel-Ange Lancret, Gaspard Monge et Nicolas-Jacques Conté), 31 plates including 10 charts and 3 maps, occasional spotting

FIVE ADDITIONAL VOLUMES, uniform in size and binding with the text:

volume 13 ("Médailles" on spine), one volume with 36 medals commemorating the expedition in Egypt and the scientific, political and military figures of the time, including Napoleon, Nelson, Desaix, Kléber, Denon, Abercrombie, etc., housed in 4 recessed trays within the vol., a few missing

volume 14 (Pièces I^ere P^ie, Mélanges), one volume with title dated 1833, containing Huzard's printed catalogue description of this copy in 1842, additional maps by Ortelius and others, printed articles (and manuscript copies), additional plates, 62pp. manuscript "Rapport fait au gouvernement français des évenemens qui se sont passis en Egytpe...", addressed to "Citoyens Consuls", etc.

volume 15-17 (Pièces II^eme P^ie, Biographie A[-Z]), 3 volumes, titled "Notices biographiques sur les généraux, administrateurs, savans, litterateurs, artistes, employés, etc., qui ont concouru par leurs talens... a l'Expedition et a la Description de l'Egypte. 1838", with c.246 MANUSCRIPT BIOGRAPHIES, MANY ACCOMPANIED BY PORTRAITS AND AUTOGRAPH LETTERS, SIGNED DOCUMENTS, ETC., including Napoleon, Abercrombie, Andréossy, Berthier, Berthollet, Conté, Denon, Desaix, Desgenettes, Dolomieu, Fourier, Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, Girard, Jomard, Junot, Kléber, Larrey, Louis XVIII, Marmont, Menou, Monge, Murat, Admiral Nelson and Talleyrand

ATLAS VOLUMES: 11 volumes, ELEPHANT FOLIO (705 x 520mm.), comprising:

Introduction, one volume (numbered 1 on spine), with Fourier's "Préface historique", "Avertissement", and "Noms des auteurs des dessins", letterpress; additional portrait of Fourier

Antiquités, 5 volumes (numbered 2-6), 1809-1822, half-titles, engraved frontispiece and 424 engraved plates, including 30 coloured by hand or printed in colour (99 in double-elephant folio vol. - see below), a few leaves of text browned; additional portraits of Kléber, Desaix, Berthier and Louis XVIII, engraved map by d'Anville, facsimile letter from Desaix

Etat moderne, 2 volumes (numbered 7-8), 1809-1817, half-titles, 170 engraved plates (including 12 in double-elephant folio vol. - see below); additional portraits of Denon and Murat, and one leaf manuscript index

Histoire naturelle, 3 volumes (numbered 9-11), 1809-1817, half-titles, 244 engraved plates, 32 coloured by hand, including 14 ornithological plates; additional portraits of Regnier, Andréossy and Redouté, and one leaf ms table

ONE ADDITIONAL VOLUME, uniform in size and binding with the plates:

Gau, F.C. Antiquitiés de la Nubie... ouvrage faisant suite au grand ouvrage de la Commission d'Egypte. Stuttgart: Cotta, and Paris, Firmin Didot, 1822, half-title, 78 engraved plates (numbered 1-64, and 1-14), 5 hand-coloured, engraved vignettes (2 coloured), original wrappers to 2 livraisons bound in, [Blackmer 656, differing collation, this copy seemingly with more leaves)]; additional manuscript leaf of bibliographical notes at beginning

ATLAS VOLUMES, 4 volumes, DOUBLE ELEPHANT FOLIO (3 vol. 1100 x 6800mm.; 1 vol. 1300 x 785mm), comprising:

Antiquités and Etat moderne, 3 volumes (numbered 1-3), containing the outsize plates from these sections (Antiquités 99 plates; Etat moderne 12 plates), half-titles; additional portraits of Junot, Marmont and one other (unidentified), 3 manuscript indexes, 11 livraison wrappers, one plate "Fac-simile des monumens coloriés de l'Egypte" (from the second edition), and "Additions" at end of largest vol. with 5 additional plates (including 2 large, "Révolte du Caire" and "Bonaparte à Jaffa")

Carte topographique de l'Egypte, one volume (numbered 4), half-title and one letterpress leaf ("Noms des ingénieurs"), 53 engraved plates on 49 sheets, comprising title, "tableau d'assemblage" and "caractères topographiques" on one sheet, "carte géographique... réduite" on 3 numbered sheets, and 47 numbered maps on 44 sheets, one browned (no.3), a few spotted (no.20, 28); additional original livraison wrapper, portrait of Prince Eugene Napoleon and a map by d'Anville