Notice Sur Les Ruines Les Plus Remarquables De Naples et de ses environs

[Naples & Pompeii] - Edmond De Bourke (1761-1821)

Notice Sur Les Ruines Les Plus Remarquables De Naples et de ses environs. Rédigée par le Comte Edmond de Bourke, et publiée par sa Veuve, et dédiée aux amis de son mari.[Colophon on the verso of the half-title: Paris: De L'imprimerie de L.T. Cellot, 1823]. Octavo (8 x 5ins; 203 x 127mm). Pp. [I-]XVIII; [1-]256. Half-title. Aquatint portrait frontispiece, 22 lithographs by Langlumé (including 1 folding map after A. Gazan, 1 folding view, 18 single-page views, 2 leaves of plans). (Plates spotted, some spotting to text, occasional small marginal tears). Original French red glazed paper-covered boards, the flat spine divided into five compartments by thin gilt rolls, black leather lettering-piece in the second compartment,  (damage to head and foot of the spine and corners, some rubbing elsewhere, lettering-piece a trifle damaged). Provenance: Alexander Baring, 1st Baron Ashburton (armorial bookplate including the Bingham arms [his wife’s family], and ink stamp of Melchet Court, Romsey, his home in Hampshire).

Rare on the market – the last copy listed as having sold at auction was in 1975. Interesting provenance: Ashburton helped his father-in-law, William Bingham, during the negotiations which led to the Louisiana Purchase.

The title and the Comtesse de Bourke’s dedication suggest that this work was privately published. The Comtesse writes “J’addresse cet opuscule à ceux ui ont été à portée d’apprécier les ualitées de mon mari; c’est pour eux seulement qu’il a été imprimé”. However, there do seem to be quite a few copies in institutions – more than would typically be accounted for by a work which was issued privately?The map is after ‘A. Gazan’ and most of the plates are after either ‘A.G.’ or just ‘G.’ – possibly Gazan again?.

OCLC 470045261.