Société de Gens-de-Lettres - Nouveau Dictionnaire historique – 8 volumes – Reliures anciennes – Caen - 1783-1786

Beautiful set of eight ancient volumes of this important historical and biographical dictionary of the eighteenth century, the work of the Benedictine Louis-Mayeul Chaudon, published under the designation « By a Society of Gens-de-Lettres ».

This vast encyclopedic undertaking gathers the biographies of famous figures from Antiquity to the eighteenth century: sovereigns, philosophers, writers, scientists, artists, military men and religious figures.

Each entry traces the life, achievements, works and notable events of the personalities, constituting a remarkable testimony to Enlightenment-era historical scholarship.

Editions and composition :

* Tome I : fifth edition, revised, corrected and augmented by two volumes, Caen, G. Le Roy, 1783.
* Tomes II to VIII : sixth edition, revised, corrected and considerably augmented, Caen, G. Le Roy, 1786.

Ensemble réunissant les huit tomes de I à VIII, avec un premier volume provenant d’une édition antérieure.

Reliures :
Eight old uniform bindings, dark brown leather spines with raised bands, gilded title and volume labels, boards covered with pinkish-bronze marbled paper.

État :
Fine overall appearance for an antique library. Bindings showing rubbing, signs of use, wear and small age-related imperfections.

Interiors generally well preserved, old paper naturally slightly yellowed, some foxing, stains and occasional browning. Text well legible, print crisp.

Photographs allow appreciating the bindings, the title pages and the final pages of the eight volumes.