Victor Fournel - Prosper Mérimée/ Philippe Benoist - Paris dans sa splendeur - 1861-1861

Paris in its splendor. Monuments, Views, Historical Scenes, Description and History. Drawings and Lithographs. Part One - Description of Paris (Volumes I and II). Part Two - History of Paris - Surroundings of Paris (Volume III). First edition, complete in 3 volumes.
Paris - Nantes, Charpentier, 1861, 3 volumes in-folio, 59 x 40 cm
[ I ] xii pages + 88 pages + 122 pages + (6) pages + 48 lithographed plates.
[ II ] 76 pages + 44 pages + 24 pages + 22 pages + 36 pages + 26 pages + (8) pages + 23 plates. 49 - 70 (and 60 bis).
[ III ] (8) pages + 76 pages + 80 pages + 34 pages + (2) pages + 29 plates 70 - 99. (that is 100 plates, complete collating).
Very beautiful publisher's binding in full red morocco, Paris arms on the covers. Gilt edges. Binding in good condition but with some small defects at the extremities. Interior in remarkably fresh condition: very few foxings, marginal water stain at the end of the first volume.
Large-margin copy, bigger than usual volumes (59 x 40 cm compared to 49 x 34 cm).
A perfect, complete copy of one of the most beautiful books ever published about one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The book contains 100 full-page lithographs, printed on tinted backgrounds and, for some, enhanced in colors. The plates are by Philippe Benoist, Arnout, Bayot, Ciceri, with 38 wood-engraved vignettes by Benoist and Catenacci.
Luxury edition, in full morocco binding, with very large margins.

Two packages weighing 13 and 16 kilograms.