Les Jardins Anglo-Chinois. (Cahiers I - IV) with extra plate

Paris: Chez le Rouge, 1776. 1st Edition. Cloth. Near Fine. Elephant Folio - over 15 - 23" tall. Four volumes. No date ( c. 1770's ). 1st ed. Oblong elephant folio ( 17.5 inches ). Modern burgundy cloth and end papers with simple gilt title on spines. Cahier One - 23 plates and 3pp of text ( lacks the four plates after the text ); Cahier Two - 23 plates plus the extra folding plate; Cahier Three - 28 plates; Cahier Four - 29 plates numbered 1 - 30 with #16 not present, probably as issued, as the on-line digital version is also so numbered. A total of 103 plates plus two extra. Front cover of Cahier One has a wear spot. The plates in the first three volumes are generally near Fine, Cahier Three has a few that have some minor to moderate spotting on the blank fore edge, the extra plate is Very Good + with some slight tanning along the fold line. The paper of Cahier Four seems to be of a lesser quality which has caused the margins to tan on most of the plates and 17 of them have lightly tanned over most or all of the plate There is also some minor spotting on the edges of a few and a light stain on the bottom fore corner on 14 of them not nearly affecting the body of the print. Le Rouge's Jardins is justly famous as possibly the greatest 18th century work on landscape gardening. The large ( 15.5 x 20.75 inches ) folding plate " PLAN DE BELLEVUE. Maison Royale a deux lieues ouest de Paria ' by Le Rouge is both beautiful and rare and the 11 x 17 inch Le Rouge priced map catalogue, c. late 1770's, is rare and fascinating as over a third of the maps offered are of the Americas, then engaged in the War of Independence. It is an especially tall and wide example. A great gathering of fine material. Photos of every plate available to serious inquirers. ***Please note: this item will require extra postage for expedited and international shipping. ***.