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three red books sitting on top of each other on a white surfaceseveral red books are lined up in a row on a shelfa stack of books sitting on top of each otheran open book with a black and white title on itan open book with a black and white image of the title of georges van open book with a black and white title on itan open book with a black and white image of a catan open book with a black and white title on itan open book with a black and white title on itan old book with a black and white title on itan old book with a black and white title on ita close up of a page of a book with a picture of a clockan old book with a line drawn on itan open book with a list of french words on itan old black and white photo of a book with a page of textan open book with a drawing of a line on ita close up of a page of a book with writing on itan old book that has a list of items on ita page of a book with a list of items on itan old book with a list of items on itan old book that has a list of items on ita close up of a book with a red cover and a pattern on it
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143 - GOBINEAU (Joseph-Arthur, Count of). Essay on the Inequality …
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Estimate €1,000 - €1,500
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Description
GOBINEAU (Joseph-Arthur, Count of). Essay on the Inequality of Human Races. A rare first edition copy of this major work on the evolution of civilisations. Paris, Librairie de Firmin-Didot Frères; Hanover, Rumpler, 1853–1855. 4 volumes in-8 (230 x 150 mm). Bound in red half-shagreen, spine with five raised bands decorated with gilt fillets, author, title and date embossed in gold at the foot, gilt heads. xii-492pp-2pp.n.ch. ; 512-1pp.n.ch. ; 423-1 pp. unnumbered; 359-1 pp. unnumbered. Virtually free of foxing, a well-preserved copy. A rare first edition, printed at the author’s expense and issued in a print run of 500 copies. A curious copy containing corrections to certain misprints in pencil and pen. In Volume I, the words ‘2nd edition’ have been added to the title page, with corrections to the date and the publisher’s name; all the misprints listed in the errata for Volumes 1 and 2 have also been corrected.” The work, drawing on the self-taught erudition acquired during the author’s diplomatic postings, develops a sombre philosophy of history. “Gobineau’s work, long misunderstood and distorted by polemical misinterpretations, is only just beginning to find a wider audience. The books he brought back from his diplomatic missions to Persia (1855–1858 and 1861–1863), such as *Three Years in Asia* and *Asian News*, or from Greece (1864–1868), such as *Souvenirs de voyage*, all underpinned by the same philosophy as the Essay on the Inequality of Human Races and the Pléiades, make him one of the 19th-century French egotists with the strangest accent in his arrogant singularity” (Jean Gaulmier). A fine copy.
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About the sale Fine antique and collectible books, manuscripts and modern illustrated works
Auction location
Auction time 06/29/2026 at 2:00 PM
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