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a picture of a book with pictures of people in a storea red book shelf with a lot of books on itseveral old books are lined up on a shelf in a rowseveral old books are lined up in a row on a tableseveral old books are lined up in a row on a white surfaceseveral old books are lined up on a shelf in front of a white backgroundseveral old books are lined up in a row on a white surfacean old book with a picture of a man and a woman in a kitchena book open to a page with a clock on itan open book with pictures of people in a kitchenan open book with drawings on it on a tablea book that is open to a page with a picture of a man and a woman on itan open book with a drawing of a farmer and a farmera book open on a table with a picture on itan open book with a drawing of a kitchen and a drawing of a kitchen
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452 - DIDEROT (Denis) & d'ALEMBERT (Jean le Rond).
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Estimate €800 - €1,200
Sale commission
Description
DIDEROT (Denis) & d'ALEMBERT (Jean le Rond). Encyclopédie, or a reasoned dictionary of the sciences, arts and trades, by a society of men of letters. Geneva, Pellet, 1777–1781. 34 volumes of text (out of 36; the first two volumes are missing) in-4, marbled calfskin, decorated ribbed spine, title and volume number labels (contemporary binding). Bindings worn. Volumes XXIV, XXXIV, XXXV and XXXVI are in a different binding. First edition in quarto format. It was in 1749 that Diderot began work on this monumental work. Over two hundred people contributed to it. Writers, lawyers, scientists, art lovers and clergymen—all were united by the aim of presenting to Europe as clear a picture as possible of the knowledge acquired since the Renaissance. Included are the 6 volumes of plates from the Panckoucke edition (Paris and Liège, Panckoucke and Plomteux) from 1783, in-4, havana-coloured sheepskin, decorated ribbed spine, title and volume number labels in red morocco (bound in the early 19th century), containing a total of 1,902 engraved PLATES (out of 1938). A marginal tear, with no material missing, on one plate (pin cushion, Volume II). Old water stains in Volume IV. Missing: the ‘Smoke Black’ plate, the first ‘Papermaking’ plate, plates 8, 11 and 13 ‘Wigmaker’, plate 3 ‘Stove-maker’, plate 19 ‘Gunpowder’, plate 11 ‘Saltworks’, the double plate ‘Peat-maker’, and plate 3 ‘Woodturner’ in Volume IV. Missing: the double plate on Stockbrokers, the first plate on Embroidery, plate 4 on Rope-makers, the two plates on Wool Rope, plate 3 on Hats, the plate on Cotton, the plate on Fabric Friezes, the double plate ‘Clothing and Costumes’, plate 3 ‘Looms’, the ‘Fashions’ plate, plates 19, 24, 25 and 26 ‘Trimmings’, plate 2 ‘Comb or Ros’, plates 8, 93, 115 ‘Silk Weaving’, plate 1 ‘Turkish Carpets’, plate 13 ‘Gobelins High-Shed Tapestry’, plates 1, 16, 17, 18 Gobelins low-warp tapestry (plate 15 is a loose leaf), plate 4 Tapissier in Volume VI. MAKING A SET OF 40 VOLUMES.
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About the sale Bibliophilia (sale without a live event)
Auction location
Auction time 09/09/2026 at 1:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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