[Costumes, Autriche] Marcel de Serres - L'Autriche, ou mœurs, usages et costumes des habitans de cet empire [48 planches] - 1821

Original edition of this account of the journey that Marcel de Serres (1780-1862) made to Austria in 1809 on behalf of Napoleon.

An illustrated work with 48 engraved plates depicting the inhabitants of various Austrian regions in traditional costumes. The first two volumes are devoted to the history of the Austrian Empire, the following three volumes contain a description of the country, and the sixth consists of fragments from the author's journey to Bavaria and Tyrol around 1811.

Pierre Toussaint Marcel de Serres de Mesplès (1780-1862) was a professor of mineralogy and geology at the Faculty of Sciences in Montpellier. In 1809, Napoleon entrusted him with a mission to Austria, Tyrol, and Bavaria, with the title of Inspector of Sciences, Arts, and Manufactures of the Imperial University. He subsequently published numerous works.

The six volumes are bound in two large 12mo volumes. Brown calfskin with mottled grain, smooth spine decorated, author, title and volume numbers gilt, gilt roll on the edges, marbled edges, yellow illustrated covers of one delivery preserved, under two pleated gilt silk boxes, title pieces in blond calfskin on the spine (contemporary binding).

Condition: Spine slightly faded, 3 corners worn, small hole without obstruction p. 217 of vol. 2, pp. 5 and 7 of vol. 4 reversed, small marginal loss of paper in the upper corner of p. 3 of vol. 5, slight crease and browning on a few pp. in vol. 5, otherwise a fine copy in a contemporary binding.
(Brunet, 1226. Colas, 2714).

[Costumes, Austria] Marcel de Serres
Austria, or the customs, habits and costumes of the inhabitants of this empire
Paris, Nepveu, 1821
6 t. in 2 strong vol. in-12 (13 x 8.5 cm) of 2 ff. n. ch., VIII-242 pp., 1 f. white ; 2 ff. n. ch., 219 pp., 1 f. white ; 2 ff. n. ch., 256 pp. ; 2 ff. n. ch., 258 pp., 1 f. white ; 2 ff. n. ch., 263 pp., 1 f. white ; 2 ff. n. ch., 219 pp., 4 pp. n. ch.