1706 - 1786
Histoire de l'Academie Royale des Sciences
33 Volumes
Original 18th Century
FINE CALF LEATHER BINDINGS
Large Quarto First Editions

574 Fold-Out + Full Page ENGRAVINGS

Histoire de l'Académie Royale des Sciences
avec les Mémoires de
Mathématique et de Physique

Paris: l'Imprimerie Royale, 1721-1788.

Various publication dates for years between 1730 and 1786.

Almost all are 1st edition volumes, in larger quarto size, published in Paris. Later editions were much smaller and published in Amsterdam.

Volumes measure: 
10 x 73/4 inches (earlier years)
101/4 x 8 inches (later years)

33 total volumes, including 5 Index or Table of Contents volumes.

All in original mottled and cat's paw full calf, with morocco labels. Volumes have variations of gilt tooling to spines, and with vibrant hand marbled inner boards. All page edges red.

Featuring 574 finely engraved plates, most folding-out. Containing many MAPS, including early American and numerous zodiac and celestial.

Anatomy, Mathematics, Physics, Astronomy, Astrology, Celestial and Zodiac, numerous Early Electrical Experiments, Nature, Horticulture, Mineralogy, Geography, Biology of humans, Animals, Plants and all Botanicals. A massive work, beautifully illustrated.

Many volumes retaining their original silk bookmarkers. Some volumes have a contemporary bookplate pasted to inner board: 'ex libris NERET'. As published, not all volumes have the engraved frontis, please see below collations for detailed information.

*We took well over 200 photographs of this set, many of which are accompanied here. If interested, please request a link to the folder containing all photographs.

Exteriors generally in very good condition with the expected wear to edges, rubbing and minor scrapes here and there, bumped corners, etc. Also expect some varying amount of foxing and sporadic toning to some pages (normal to 18th century paper). Pages and illustrations are, for the most, clean.

Collation and Condition for Volumes:

1706 (published 1731): 3 blank leaves, [8], 1-152 (Histoire), 1-521 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 27 fold-out plates (3 plates numbered '15'). Small 'worm' holes to the upper area of pages, running through, approximately, page 321 (Memoires) to end of volume. 

1707 (published 1730): 2 blank leaves, [8], 1-192 (Histoire), 1-587 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 13 numbered fold-out plates. 

1708 (published 1730): 2 blank leaves, [10], 1-154 (Histoire), 1-470 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 17 numbered fold-out plates. Some pages showing moderate toning and foxing. 

1709 (published 1730): 2 blank leaves, [8], 1-128 (Memoires), 1-462 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 15 numbered fold-out plates. 1 inch tear to midst of leaf 349/350. 

1710 (published 1732, Revised Edition): 2 blank leaves, [10], 1-166 (Histoire), 1-560 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 14 numbered fold-out plates. 

1711 (published 1730): 2 blank leaves, frontis engraving, [8], 1-112 (Histoire), 1-320 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 14 fold-out plates. 

1712 (published 1731): 2 blank leaves, frontis engraving, [8], 1-104 (Histoire), 1-338 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 3 blank leaves. 18 numbered fold-out plates. 

1719 (published 1721): 2 blank leaves, [8], 1-120 (Histoire), 1-415 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 27 numbered fold-out plates. Complete. Light stain to upper edge of plate 22 and moderate foxing and spotting throughout. 

1723 (published 1725): 2 blank leaves, frontis engraving, [8], 1-122 (Histoire), 1-392 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 19 numbered fold-out plates. Old faint stain noticeable through pages 160 to 222, mostly showing faintly. Faint stain or toning to the lower, outer corner of remaining pages (see photos). 

1724 (published 1726): 3 blank leaves, [8], 1-96 (Histoire), 1-426 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 1 page errata, 3 blank leaves. 26 numbered fold-out plates + 1 additional unnumbered fold-out. Faint stain affecting foredge margin, starting at approximately page 112 and showing lightly through to page 239, noticeable to the outer edge of the 5 fold-out plates contained in these pages (see photos). 

1725 (published in 1727): 2 blank leaves, [6], 1-153 (Histoire), 1-354 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 3 blank leaves. 14 numbered fold-out plates + 2 unnumbered fold-out plates. Small and faint stain to outer page edges, starting at 293 (Memoires) and affecting the remainder of pages. Marbled end paper showing wear (see photos). 

1726 (published 1728): 2 blank leaves, 1 frontis engraving, [8], 1-84 (Histoire), 1-343 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 16 numbered fold-out plates. 

1730 (published 1732): 2 blank leaves, frontis engraving, [8], 1-143 (Histoire), 1-580 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 25 numbered plates + 4 additional unnumbered fold-outs. 

1746 (published 1751): 2 blank leaves, [8], 1-132 (Histoire), 1-758 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 47 numbered fold-out plates. 

1747 (published 1752): 3 blank leaves, [8], 1-144 (Histoire), 1-743 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 24 numbered fold-out plates. Some of the plates have been 'over' trimmed at fore edge, sometimes resulting in plate number text cut out. 

1748 (published 1752): 2 blank leaves, [8], 1-132 (Histoire), 1-624 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 27 numbered fold-out plates. Gouge or scrape to back cover.

1749 (published 1753): 2 blank leaves, [8], 1-192 (Histoire), 1-560 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 18 numbered fold-out plates. A little splitting at upper spine and back cover joint but volume is solid. Moderate spotting and foxing throughout. 

1751 (published 1755): 2 blank leaves, [8], 1-202 (Histoire), 1-536 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 24 numbered fold-out plates. Outer lower corners of front back marbled endpapers torn away, old stain showing to the lower outer corner or/and foredge throughout pages of the volume to one degree or another, 1 inch tear to outer edge of leaf 473/474, chipping to leather at head of spine. (see numerous photos). 

1752 (published 1756): 2 blank leaves, [8], 1-172 (Histoire), 1-638 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 21 numbered fold-out plates. Faint stain to outer, lower fore edge of pages running through majority of volume's pages, but at it's most notable in the first 10 or so pages. 

1753 (published in 1757): 1 blank leaf, [8], 1-320 (Histoire), 1-628, 1 end leaf. 26 numbered fold-out plates. A little wear at the edges of the head and tail of the spine leather. 

1772 Part 2 (published 1776): 2 blank leaves, [8], 1-150 (Histoire), [Errata leaf], 1- 648 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 15 numbered fold-out plates + 1 unnumbered. A little wear, splitting to the lower leather joint between front cover and spine, but solid. 

1773 (published 1777): 2 blank leaves, [8], 1-134 (Histoire), [1 blank leaf], 1-694 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 15 numbered fold-out plates. Some chipping to leather at top of spine. Inner marbled board paper a little worn and torn, and peeling up at the fore edge,  a little staining to upper fore edge corner of first 10 pages with the same stain to fore edge becoming visible on page 175 and really only notable for the next 100 or so pages (see photos). 

1775 (published 1778): 2 blank leaves, [8], 1-66 (Histoire), [1], 1-575 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 12 numbered full page and fold-out plates. A little staining or darker foxing patch to upper outer edge being somewhat noticeable from page 535 to the end of volume. Splitting to leather joint at the lower spine and front cover, but volume very solid. Some loss of leather to the lower edges of volume. 

1776 (published 1779): 2 blank leaves, [8], 1-64 (Histoire), 1-742 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 1 'Errata' leaf, 2 blank leaves. 25 numbered plates, full page and fold-outs, + 1 unnumbered. Some chipping to top edge of leather spine, 1 inch split to leather joint at top of spine and front cover. 

1777 (published 1780): 2 blank leaves, [10], 1-154 (Histoire), [1 'Errata' leaf], 1-664 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 14 numbered fold-out plates + 1 unnumbered fold-out. Some wear, cracking and splitting to leather joint of front cover and spine, but holding strong. A chip to leather at the edge of lower spine. 

1781 (published 1784): 2 blank leaves, [10], 1-114 (Histoire), [1 leaf half title], 1-773 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 19 full page and fold-out plates. A little bit of chipping to the leather at head of spine.

1784 (published 1778): 2 blank leaves, [8], 1-69 (Histoire), [1 leaf half title], 1-658 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 13 numbered full page and fold-out plates + 2 unnumbered fold-outs. Splitting and wear to lower leather joint between spine and front cover, but volume is solid. 

1786 (published 1788): 2 blank leaves, [8], 1-76 (Histoire), 1-723 (Memoires de Mathematiques et de Physiques), 2 blank leaves. 15 numbered full page and fold-out plates + 2 unnumbered fold-out plates. Some chipping to leather at top edge of spine, splitting to leather between upper apine and front cover, few chips to leather of covers. Bookplate removed to inner front marbled board, closed tear blank endpaper, old faint stain to outer, upper corner starting at page 485 and affecting some of the next 25 pages. 

TABLE ALPHABETIQUE (Alphabetical Tables or Index)

Tome II 1699-1710 (published 1729): 4 blank pages, [8 pages Title + 6 pages Adverts], 660 pages, 4 blank end pages. Faint stain to outer, lower corner of some pages. Page 566, likely humorously and purposely, printed as ' 666 '.

Tome III 1711-1720 (published 1731):  8 blank pages, 376 pages, 6 blank end pages. Cracking at a few interior hinges but volume solid. Some areas of faint toning or staining to inner hinge parts amdd out lower fore edges of pages.

Tome IV 1721-1730 (published 1734):  8 blank pages, 360 pages, 1 leaf Errata, 1 leaf Publsiher's Copyright, 8 blank end pages. Numerous pages toned and browned, a natural occurence with paper and ink of this era.

Tome V 1731-1740 (published 1747):  4 blank pages, xvi, 431 pages, 4 blank end pages. 1 morroco title label missing to spine, back inner marbled papers worn at top edges, small old stain to top edge of approximately 30 pages.

Tome VI 1741-1750 (published 1758):  4 blank pages, [1 leaf title], 415 pages, 4 blank end pages. faded gilt to lower morroco title label, several instances of cracked inner hinges resulting in some protruding signatures but volume is solid.

*Please view photos to better assess condition. Additional photos and high resolution images are also available upon request. Although Shopify maintains the highest standards for secure and high quality websites, they do downgrade images to ensure page loading is optimal. This may result in some images appearing ‘blurry’ or of low quality.

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