LA MOTRAYE (Aubry de). Voyages en Europe, Asie & Afrique - Lot 12

LA MOTRAYE (Aubry de). Voyages en Europe, Asie & Afrique. Where one finds a great variety of geographical, historical and political researches, on Italy, Greece, Turkey, Tartarie crimée, & Nogaye, Circassie, Sweden, Lapland, &c. Avec des remarques instructives sur les mœurs, coutumes, opinions &c. des peuples & des païs où l'auteur a voyagé [...] La Haye, Johnson & J. Van Duren, 1727. 2 vol. in-folio of I. [7] ff, 472-23 pp, front, 29 plates including VII bis, 2 maps A and B. - II. (3) ff, 496-39 pp, 18 plates including IX bis and 2 maps C and D (without the frontispiece of volume I repeated). Brown half calf with corners, ornate spine bands, beige and green basane title-pieces (early 19th century binding). 3 brown stains in margins of 2 ff. in vol. 2. First edition illustrated with title vignette, frontispiece (normally repeated in volume I, but missing from volume II of this copy), 4 maps and 47 engraved plates hors texte: views, costumes, plans, medals. First French edition of this important voyage by Aubry de La Mottraye. Bibliographers emphasize the beauty of the iconography by William Hogarth, one of the most famous English artists of the 18th century (Chadenat 105, Blackmer 946). Aubry de la Motraye (1674-1743). A well-born French Protestant, he moved to England as a young man and decided to travel at the age of 22. He embarked in 1696 for 26 years of adventure and discovery. His travels took him to Europe, Asia and Africa. From 1696 to 1729, Aubry de La Mottraye travelled through Tartary, Turkey, parts of Asia and Africa, and the northern countries, starting with Scandinavia, where he became the confidant of Charles XII.