1786 Voyages Marquis Chastellux (American Revolution) 1st Edition Natural Bridge

Description: Voyages De M. Le Marquis De Chastellux Dans L'Amérique Septentrionale, Dans les années 1780, 1781 & 1782. A Paris, Chez Prault, 1786, First Edition. Two folding hand-colored maps, three folding engraved plates (COMPLETE), contemporary 3/4 leather, 8 x 5.25”, 8vo. In good condition. Lovely rebindings likely done in the 20th century. Light scuffing to extremities and marbled boards. Leather remains soft and clean. Attractive spines with five raised bands and tooled anchors at each blank compartment. Spines tooled with date of publication. “Fresh” marbled end papers and two flys. Contemporary blue signature on original flys. Light toning and minor instances of foxing throughout each volume. Maps in exceptional condition with minor foxing and light toning at the edges. Colors remain vibrant and remarkably well-preserved. Each map and plate folds out correctly with ease. Free of known marginalia. Bindings tight and intact. All edges marbled (likely the original marbling as its toned). Very nice. Please see photos. During the American Revolution, Major General François Jean de Beauvoir, Marquis de Chastellux (1734-1788), was the liaison officer between General Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, commander of the French forces sent to aid the fledgling United States, and George Washington. During his service Chastellux kept a journal, and published in 1786 his complete recollections of the American War of Independence. This included a description of his travels in America after the war had ended. Chastellux described George Washington as an effective yet profoundly humane leader in wartime. The first volume contains a fold-out map of the New England/mid-atlantic area. The second volume contains a fold-out map of Virginia and three fold-out perspectives of Virginia's Natural Bridge. Chastellux's descriptive text introduced the Natural Bridge to European readers and these views were the first published images of it. RAREF1786OSTR - 12/22 RAREF1786RTSH - 12/24 - HKREV303

Price: 900 USD

Location: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

End Time: 2025-01-02T21:41:19.000Z

Shipping Cost: 7.63 USD