Tableau Général de l'Empire Othoman.

£37,500 · Offered by Shapero Rare Books

Rothschild copy, with fine view of Mecca 'One of the most important books on the Ottoman Empire, the text was the result of 22 years of research, the plates are mostly after Hilaire' (Koç). From the library of Baron James de Rothschild (1792-1868), the founder of the French branch of the family. D'Ohsson's vast survey of the Ottoman Empire with engravings by the foremost illustrators of the day, including a superb double-page view of Mecca. Mouradja d'Ohsson (1740-1807) was born at Constantinople of Armenian descent. He followed a career there with the Swedish legation, eventually becoming charge d'affaires in 1782. He spent many years assembling the materials for this work and in 1784 went to Paris to prepare for its publication. The Tableau général soon became established as a fundamental source of information for the laws, constitution and history of the Ottoman Empire. In addition to the topographical scenes, many of the plates illustrate the costumes of the Ottoman court officials and others. First edition; 3 vols, folio (50.5 x 33.5 cm); engraved frontispiece, 236 of 237 plates on 93 sheets (some double-page, 2 folding), after Hilaire, Cochin, Le Barbier, de Lespinasse, Moreau le jeune, Queverdo and Touze, lacks Exercise du Tomac (p. 332 vol. 3); contemporary red half morocco gilt over red boards, rubbed, usual light spotting, a very good copy. Atabey II, 846; Blackmer 1164; Chahine 3475; Cohen de Ricci, 763; Koç, I, 151.

• Binding: Hardcover

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