November 17, 2020 Early Arms & Militaria: Age of Exploration, Empire & Revolution
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/17/2020
"Recueil des Loix Constitutives des Colonies Angloises [Collection of the Laws Governing the English Colonies]." Philadelphia and Paris: Cellot & Jombert, 1778. First edition. Octavo (6-3/4" x 4-1/4"); Half-title, 370 pp. Original French calf, the spine tooled and lettered in gilt with a black label, all edges in blue marbling; marbled end papers. This first overseas printing of the collected constitutions of the original American states, as well as the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation of the United States, was issued in the same year that France entered the war against Britain. The work also includes a dedication letter from the compiler Regnier to Benjamin Franklin at Paris, where the work was certainly published. Sabin 68448; Howes R111. CONDITION: 1/2" split down front board, mended tear to rear endpaper, otherwise, an exceptionally fine copy with bright and clean pages. [with] Hilliard d’Auberteuil, Michel-Rene. "Essais Historiques et Politiques sur la Revolution de l'Amerique Septentrionale." Brussels, 1782. First edition. Octavo (7-3/4" x 5-1/4"). i-xii, 1-208, i-xiv, 209-436. 5 folding maps. Original, mottled French calf with raised bands on spine, gilt decoration and red morroco label with gilt lettering. This is the second volume, published a year after the first titled “Essais Historiques et Politiques sur les Anglo-Americains” and which takes up the war from the Declaration of Independence in 1776 until the battle of Monmouth in June 1778 and the French Alliance (the remainder of the war was never covered). The fine and beautiful folding maps are: "Carte de la Nouvelle York", "Carte de la Virginie, du Maryland et de l'Etat de Delaware", "Carte de la Pensylvanie et du Nouveau Jersey", "Carte de la Routes des Lacs, depuis Montreal et St. Jean, jusqu' a la Riviere d'Hudson", and "Plan de la Bataille de Montmouth [sic]…" Of great interest are appendices published in the rear of the book, pp. 406-412 containing epitaphs of the American generals killed in action to 1778, followed by a list of the French officers who served in the Continental Army by rank and duties, pp. 413-424, followed by an advertisement and abstract for an intended publication relating to Lafayette’s first voyage to America in 1774, pp. 425-436. Sabin 31900. CONDITION: A very good copy; some abrasion to board edges and chipping to top of spine; wear to endpapers, otherwise, a clean and bright copy, the folding maps particularly fine. JLK