One of the XX rarest Pyrenean books - Lot 426

One of the XX rarest Pyrenean books LEROY (Paul Marie) Mémoire sur les Travaux qui ont rapport à l'exploitation de la Mâture dans les Pyrennées. London ; Paris, Couturier Père et Fils, 1776. In-4: VIII, 120pp, IX to XV (explanation of plates); illustrated with XII folding plates. Well-white paper. Contemporary glazed marbled fawn calf, ornate spine ribbed, red title page, triple cold fillet framing the boards, minor scuffing and wear to boards, gilt roulette on edges, corners bumped, red edges. The title is indeed part of the XV préliminaires. In this copy, preliminary leaves IX to XV corresponding to the explanation of the plates are positioned at the end of the text, just before the folding plates (which is not illogical in itself). The extremely rare last unencrypted leaf is not present in this copy (a typed note by Pierre CAILLAU LAMICQ gives explanations)(Labarère 928)(Labarère les XX livres pyrénéistes les plus rares n° XVI, page 22). Copy in its contemporary binding.