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Most important 19th-century scientific expedition to South America, with over 400 hand-coloured plates

CASTELNAU, Francis de.
Expédition dans les parties centrales de l'Amérique du Sud, de Rio de Janeiro a Lima, et de Lima au Para; exécutée par ordre du gouvernement Français pendant les années 1843 a 1847.

With 493 lithographed and tinted lithographed plates and maps, including 401 partly or completely hand-coloured.

With 493 lithographed and tinted lithographed plates and maps, including 401 partly or completely hand-coloured.

With 493 lithographed and tinted lithographed plates and maps, including 401 partly or completely hand-coloured.

With 493 lithographed and tinted lithographed plates and maps, including 401 partly or completely hand-coloured.

With 493 lithographed and tinted lithographed plates and maps, including 401 partly or completely hand-coloured.



Paris, P. Bertrand, 1850-1859. 7 parts in 15 volumes. 8vo (6 vols.), 4to (7 vols.), folio (2 vols.). Later red half morocco. With 493 lithographed and tinted lithographed plates and maps, including 401 partly or completely hand-coloured.

First edition, beautifully illustrated, of the reports of the most important scientific expedition to South America in the 19th century, led by the French naturalist Francis de Castelnau (1810-1880). The scientific results of this expedition are of considerable importance. Besides the zoological, botanical, mineralogical and ethnographical collections he brought to Europe, Castelnau provided a wealth of information with the astronomical, barometrical, hydrographical and hydraulic observations and determinations he made. The beautifully coloured plates make it a desired work for bibliophiles as well.
In 1843 Castelnau was sent on this expedition by Louis Philippe. He embarked on a French war-ship and sailed to Rio de Janeiro. Castelnau and his men crossed South America from Rio de Janeiro via Minas Geraes, Goias and Mato Grosso. After exploring the north of Mato Grosso and the Paraguay River until Asuncion they continued their journey from Vila Bela to Bolivia via Potosi. After a stay in La Paz they travelled to Lima. From there they explored the source of the Amazon and finally sailed to Para where their journey ended. During these travels they gathered an enormous amount of information resulting from their meteorological, magnetic, botanical and zoological observations. Almost all information got lost when Indians killed one of the expedition members. Most of the dead man's records of the astronomical and barometrical observations were destroyed. Fortunately his minutes were saved and with considerable effort the reports of the expedition were completed. The expedition ended with Castelnau returning to France in 1848.
Prior to his expedition to South America, Castelnau led a scientific expedition to Canada (1837-1841) where he studied the fauna of the Canadian lakes and the political systems of Upper and Lower Canada (roughly corresponding to the modern provinces of Ontario and Quebec) and of the United States.

Fine, complete set. List of contents on request.
Borba de Moraes, pp. 167-168; Bosch 450; Howgego, 1800-1850, C14; Nissen, ZBI 88-89; Sabin 11411.

Related Subjects: Astronomy & Cosmography  Bolivia  Botany  Brazil  Hydraulics  Meteorology  Natural History  Peru  Science  Zoology 

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€ 135.000,00

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