12mo. vi, 354 pp., [6], calf binding of the period, title gilt on raised and decorated spine, all edges red, marbled end papers, book plate of Franz Pollack-Parnau verso front cover, previous owner’s inscription on front fly leaf dated 1775 and small ink stamp on lower margin, light crack to lower spine, otherwise in very good condition, Chez Durand, avec approbation & privilege du Roy, Paris, first edition, 1742.

Synopsis

According to Querard, Tollot was an apothecary living in Geneva. He wrote numerous articles for the Journal Helvetique, but this appears to be his only book. He travelled with the astronomer and mathematician de la Condamine, whose unpublished ms. account of their journey is in the Bibliotheque Nationale. Tollot’s is the only published account of de la Condamine’s travels in the East, although de la Condamine sent a dissertation to the Academie Royale in 1732 entitled ‘Observations faits dans un voyage dans le Levant’. shortly after his return to France, the astronomer set out on the famous expedition to the equator to determine the shape of the earth. Tollot has included accounts of Patrona and the rebellion of the Janissaries and a sketch of the life of Topal Osman, grand vizier to Mahmoud I, a description of his adventurous stay in Cyprus, a detailed description of the dervishes in Constantinople.
Bibliographic references: Blackmer 1665; Rohricht 306; Hilmy II; 290. 10; Tobler 126; Weber II, 509; Chatzipanagioti-Sangmeister 1123.
Provenance: Collection Herry W. Schaefer.