Splendid illustrations - Copy of the Duc d'Orléans - Lot 182

Splendid illustrations - Copy of the Duc d'Orléans HARDY (Joseph) A picturesque and descriptive tour in the mountains of the High Pyrenees: comprising twenty-four views of the most interesting scenes, from original drawings taken on the spot; with some account of the bathing establishments in that department of France. London, Ackermann, 1825. In-8: VIII, 84pp; a frontispiece map (topographical map) in black and 24 views (format 70 X 90 mm) engraved in aquatint, finely enhanced in watercolor at the time, and mounted on strong paper. Printed on fine Madagascar wove paper. Contemporary long-grained ½ black morocco with corners, richly decorated smooth spine, Orléans coat of arms at head, Duke of Orléans cipher at foot. A fine copy, untrimmed. A work of great originality and incomparable illustration quality. This is the "jewel" of Pyrenean books. HARDY's trip took place in the late spring of 1822. For a time, HARDY was accompanied by another little-known artist: John Claude Nattes. The only comparable work in the Pyrenean library is the "Tableau Pittoresque des Pyrénées Françaises" or "petit Frossard" published by the pastor of Bagnères in 1839. The same year saw the publication of "Voyage Pittoresque et Descriptif dans les Hautes-Pyrénées", a translation of HARDY's text by Barère de Vieuzac. Provenances: Copy of the Duc d'Orléans, with his coat of arms and cipher on the spine, two wet stamps on the title page, including "Duc d'Orléans" in red. A handwritten note in ink on the flyleaf reads "Cat. Tome III - Vente Guntzleyer ?, le 6 février 1872, n° 309 du catalog).