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a black book with gold lettering on it sitting on a white surfacean old book opened to reveal a page with a handwritten titlean open book with a map of a river and a map of a townan open book with a map of the country of canada on ita drawing of a coat of arms with a crown on top of it
Adjug'art Quimper

70 - [NAPOLEON III] – OFFICE OF THE GRAND EQUERRY – Their Majesti…
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Estimate €200 - €300
Sale commission
Description
[NAPOLEON III] – OFFICE OF THE GRAND EQUERRY – Their Majesties’ Journey to Brittany. August 1858 – Paris; Lemercier Printers, [1858] – 1 volume, small In-4°, entirely mounted on tabs – [60] leaves – the first 2 leaves (including the title page) are partially yellowed - Lithographed and autographed programme booklet, a facsimile of the journey to Brittany undertaken by Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie from 3 to 21 August 1858 - 1 double-page map and numerous maps within the text - Covers the entire 19-day duration of the journey, with two double-page spreads per day, detailing the itinerary with one detailed map, stopping points, distances and journey times, historical information and the daily schedule, and finally the programme for each major stage - Contemporary binding in green cloth, with the title and date in gold lettering on the front cover (a small white mark on the front cover, partial discolouration on the back cover) - Gilded edges - A fine copy compiled by General Émile-Félix de Fleury (1815–1884), Grand Écuyer, head of the imperial family’s honour guard and responsible for organising their travel arrangements for official journeys and ceremonies. General Fleury, a Bonapartist diplomat from the very beginning, describes the drawing up of these itineraries in his *Souvenirs*: ‘ Once all these arrangements had finally been finalised, I would have a dozen definitive itineraries drawn up, comprising the route, the daily and hourly schedules, setting out the stays and stops at the designated locations, providing a partial map of the various departments traversed, and historical notes on each locality visited. These itineraries were distributed to those appointed to form part of the honour guard, so that everyone was fully aware of their duties during the journey. In addition to this itinerary booklet, I presented Their Majesties with a separate notebook [...] ’ – The richly illustrated official edition of this journey was published that same year, under the title *Voyage de leurs majestés impériales dans les départements de l’ouest* (*L’Illustration*, 1858) - A rare programme booklet from this important imperial journey, compiled and printed in a limited number of copies by the Grand Equerry to serve as a travel journal for the members of Their Majesties’ honour guard. A copy presented by the Emperor’s household to Monsieur de Chasseloup Laubat, with his armorial bookplate pasted onto the front cover - Enclosed is: the pre-printed accompanying letter on the Emperor’s House letterhead, addressed to the recipient.
See original version (French)
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About the sale L'AME BRETONNE Sale – 23rd edition
Auction location
Auction time 07/04/2026 at 10:00 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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