STEPHANOPOLI DE COMMÈNE (Dimo). Voyage de Dimo et Nicolo Ste - Lot 58

STEPHANOPOLI DE COMMÈNE (Dimo). Voyage de Dimo et Nicolo Stephanopoli en Grèce, pendant les années V et VI (1797 et 1798 v. st.) d'après deux missions, dont l'une du gouvernement français, et l'autre du général en chef Buonaparte, rédigé par un des professeurs de Prytanée [Antoine Sérieys]. Paris, de l'imprimerie de Guilleminet, an VIII (1799). 2 vol. in-8, XVI-303 p. + [2] f., 319 p., contemporary speckled fawn half-basin, smooth spine, green title and gilt fleurons and friezes (spines sunned, 4 wormholes at 2 hinges, 1 joint split; rare russeting, tear at head margin ss mq. p.273/274 T2). First edition. 7 plates [of 8], 2 of which folding, drawn by Stephanopoli, engraved by Guyot (lacks plate p.144-145, captioned opposite "This engraving serves to confirm that it was Venus Aprodite who was worshipped in the temple situated on the Aplunori hill"). The Mainote community, of which the Stephanopolis are descendants, expelled from Greece in 1675, settled in Corsica. It was here that Bonaparte and the French government sought out our travelers, commissioning them to gather intelligence on the Ottoman Empire. Armorial bookplate of the Flamen family (on the 1 4, azure a chevron Or between 3 flames of the same [Flamen du Coudray]; on the 2 and 3, azure two lions Or fesswise [Flamen d'Assigny]; R.N. bookplate, repeated.