LAPLACE, Cyrille Pierre Théodore (1793-1875). Voyage autour du monde par les mers de l'Inde et de Chine exécuté sur la corvette de l'état La Favorite pendant les années 1830, 1831 et 1832.- [Zoologie]. Paris: Imprimerie Royale [and] Arthus Bertrand,...

LAPLACE, Cyrille Pierre Théodore (1793-1875). Voyage autour du monde par les mers de l'Inde et de Chine exécuté sur la corvette de l'état La Favorite pendant les années 1830, 1831 et 1832.- [Zoologie]. Paris: Imprimerie Royale [and] Arthus Bertrand, 1833-1839.

An exceptional hand-coloured copy of the first edition, complete with all parts, of a major scientific and commercial voyage. ‘In December 1829, Laplace was commissioned to take an expedition to India, the East Indies and South East Asia, and then, if he chose to do so, proceed through the South Pacific. His instructions were to provide protection for French merchant vessels and obtain at each port-of-call information which might be of value to French trade’ (Hill). Departing from Toulon, La Favorite rounded the Cape of Good Hope in early March and arrived at Singapore in August, before crossing the South China Sea for Manila. Laplace then visited Macao, Canton and Indochina, making detailed nautical charts of the region. He proceeded to Sydney and New Zealand, from where he sailed westwards to South America, landing at Valparaiso and Rio de Janeiro, and ultimately returning to Toulon after 482 days at sea. ‘From the scientific viewpoint, Laplace’s voyage was one of the most successful. The maps made from surveys in the Pacific and the collections which were assembled became famous during that period’ (Borba de Moraes). This ‘sumptuous’ publication, with spectacular hand-coloured examples of ‘some of the most beautiful plates of the kind in existence’ is rarely found complete. Borba de Moraes I, 458; Hill 980.

Together 8 volumes, comprising 5 text volumes and one plate volume, octavo (220 x 145mm), and 2 atlas volumes, folio (481 x 329mm and 644 x 495mm). Text: folding engraved map at rear of vol. 1; vol. 5 containing the Zoologie in 2 parts and the Supplément; vol. 6 containing 60 engraved plates from the Zoologie, of which 51 with contemporary hand-colour, and the 10 hand-coloured engraved Supplément plates; atlas: Album historique: 72 engraved plates coloured by a contemporary hand; Atlas hydrographique: 11 engraved charts (occasional spotting). Text vols 1-4 and Album historique in contemporary roan-backed marbled paper boards, text vols 5-6 in near-uniform contemporary binding, Atlas hydrographique in modern binding to style (some extremities lightly rubbed).

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