12 - DENTRECASTAUX, Rear Admiral. ROSSEL.

DENTRECASTAUX, Rear Admiral. ROSSEL. The Voyage of Dentrecastaux, Sent to Search for La Pérouse. Paris: Imperial Printing Office, 1808. 2 large volumes, large quarto, (7)-LVI-704 pp., 32 engraved fold-out plates and (4)-VIII-692-(1) pp., one engraved fold-out plate, numerous tables, and a few diagrams in the text. Havana-colored half-basane leather with modern corners, spine with faux raised bands highlighted by gilt fillets, fleurons, and gilt title, gilt coat of arms at the foot of the spine (leather rubbed with scuffs, slight water stain at the top of a few quires in Volume 2, including the engraving of the inclinometer, discreet stains from use scattered throughout—notably a mark on the second title page, and the title page edge slightly weakened in Volume 2). A fine copy on custom-sized azure laid paper. Complete with all 33 plates. A copy with very wide margins, dedicated to Napoleon, Emperor of the French and King of Italy, featuring engraved vignettes of the grand imperial coat of arms on the title pages. The etched plates are engraved in black by E. Collin. The annotations and editorial work are by Rossel, a former naval captain during the Empire. The first volume contains plates showing triangulation calculations, series of soundings, nautical charts with depth soundings, views of coastal profiles—sometimes featuring volcanoes—along with dates and accompanying annotations. The second volume compiles economic observations and includes the Report of the Bureau des Longitudes on Rossel’s work, at the end of the volume. This copy belonged to Admiral Maurice de Brossard (1909–1997), a naval officer, painter, and author specializing in Lapérouse and exploratory voyages. He conducted research on Vanikoro and the death of Lapérouse. It features his gold coat of arms embossed at the bottom of the spines and a large modern ex libris stamp (blue ink) bearing his coat of arms and the motto *Audenti Succedit opus* on the first blank page.