1817 Tavernier & Lepetit Antique Atlas of Turkey Persia Vietnam, Asia - 22 Prints

Cartographer :Jean Baptist Tavernier

Description:
This fine original antique of the travels from Turkey, Persia, Central Asia, Vietnam of Jean Baptist Tavernier's was translated from the English by M Henry & M Breton and published by V Lepetit. Paris in 1817 - dated.
This atlas contains 22 copper-plate engraved prints, as listed below.
The atlas covers have been removed with front title page partially detached. Pages are generally clean with light aging to borders, Print V detached, light toning to pages, overall VG, 8vo, each page size is 7in x 5in (180mm x 125mm)

  1. J B Tavernier
    2. Vue de Constantinople
    3. Point de Serail a Constantionople
    4. Le Trois Eglises
    5. Ervan
    6. Caravanserail de Cachen
    7. Village Camouk ou Circassien
    8. Mosquee Persane
    9. Pont d' Ispahan
    10. Costumes Persan
    11. Femmes Persans
    12. Bas-reliefs de Persepolis
    13. Diamonds
    13 (repeat). Animal qui produit le Musc
    14. Serpent
    15. Diverses Monaies Asie
    16. Poignard Indien
    17. Marche du Roi de Tonquin lorsqu il va a laguerre
    18. Costumes Tonquinois
    19. Spectacle Tonquinois
    20.
    21. Pompe funebre du Roi de Tonquin
    22. Convoi de provisions a l enterrement du Roi de Tonquin

Jean-Baptiste Tavernier (1605 – 1689) was a 17th-century French gem merchant and traveller. Tavernier, a private individual and merchant travelling at his own expense, covered, by his own account, 60,000 leagues in making six voyages to Persia and India between the years 1630 and 1668. In 1675, Tavernier, at the behest of his patron Louis XIV, published Les Six Voyages de Jean-Baptiste Tavernier (Six Voyages, 1676).
Tavernier was born in Paris of a French or Flemish Huguenot family that had emigrated to Antwerp, to escape persecution, and which subsequently returned to Paris after the publication of the Edict of Nantes, which promised protection for French Protestants. Both his father Gabriel and his uncle Melchior were cartographers. Though it is clear from the accuracy of his drawings that Tavernier received some instruction in the art of cartography/engraving, he was possessed of a wanderlust. While still a teenager, he traveled extensively through Europe and achieved a working knowledge of its major languages.
Tavernier is best known for his 1666 discovery/purchase of the 116-carat Tavernier Blue diamond that he subsequently sold to Louis XIV of France in 1668 for 120,000 livres, the equivalent of 172,000 ounces of pure gold, and a letter of ennoblement. (Five years later, Louis had his court jeweler Jean Pitau recut the stone into the 68 carat French Blue and had it set as a hatpin. The gem was reset by his great-grandson Louis XV in The Medal of The Order of the Golden Fleece, stolen in 1792, and was recut and re-emerged in London 30 years later as the Hope Diamond).
In 1669, Tavernier purchased for 60,000 livres the Seigneury of Aubonne, located in the Duchy of Savoy near the city of Geneva, and became Baron of Aubonne.
Tavernier's writings show that he was a keen observer, as well as a remarkable cultural anthropologist. His Six Voyages became a best seller and was translated into German, Dutch, Italian, and English during his lifetime. The work is frequently quoted by modern scholars writing about the period. (Ref Tooley M&B)

General Description:
 Paper thickness and quality: - Heavy, stable canvas backed
 Paper color: - off white
 Age of map color: - 
 Colors used: - 
 General color appearance: - 
 Atlas size: - 8vo
 
 Imperfections:
 Margins: - Age toning
 Plate area: - Plate V detached, age toning
 Verso: - Age toning

$375.00