LEVAILLANT, François. Voyage dans l'intérieur de l'Afrique, par le cap de Bonne-Espérance.
Paris, Desray, An VI [1798].

[suivi de :] Second voyage dans l'intérieur de l'Afrique.
Paris, Crapelet, An XI [1803].

In-4 (248 x 197 mm), (4) ff., 150 pp., (1) f.-(1) f., 183 pp., (2) ff.
Full red morocco, boards decorated with a triple gilt fillet and a double central fillet in accolades with spandrels at the corners in the Duseuil style, spine with ornate false nerves, richly decorated boxes, title, author, date and place stamped in gold, gilt edges, rich interior roulette (Bozérian le Jeune).

SUPERB, EXTREMELY RARE COPIES ON LARGE PAPER, WITH THE ILLUSTRATIONS IN DOUBLE STATE.
These two interesting voyages, which are attributed to Casimir Varon (1761-1796), are usually found together (Brunet). Some critics, however, attribute only part of the writing to Varon, who was born in Surinam and, according to them, did not have a full command of the French language. These two expeditions to South Africa led to the collection of zoological and botanical specimens. It was during these expeditions that Levaillant did most of the scientific work for his Histoire naturelle des oiseaux d'Afrique. The plates are topographical (scenes from his camps), ethnographic (two of the Hottentots and other indigenous peoples) and on natural history (birds, hippopotamuses, giraffes, wolves, jellyfish).

The 5 volumes are illustrated with 42 engraved plates in black and colour (12 folding) as well as a large engraved folding map of South Africa, with a small marginal tear. The first voyage contains 20 plates depicting natives, flora and fauna, as well as African landscapes, including numerous Levaillant encampments. Eight of these plates did not appear in the original 1790 edition. The second voyage is illustrated with a large fold-out map of Africa and 22 plates.

Superb copies in a binding by Bozérian le Jeune.
Mendelssohn, I, 892 ; Brunet, III, 1034.