[DIDEROT - D'ALEMBERT]. ENCYCLOPÉDIE OU DICTIONNAIRE RAISONN - Lot 152

[DIDEROT - D'ALEMBERT]. ENCYCLOPÉDIE OU DICTIONNAIRE RAISONNÉ DES SCIENCES, des Arts et des Métiers, par une société de gens de lettres... Paris, Briasson, David, Le Breton, Durand, Stoupe, Panckoucke, Brunet : Neufchatel, Faulche [Actually Paris], 1751-1780. 35 volumes in folio, brown calf, ornate ribbed spine (period binding). First edition of this famous work, the greatest achievement of printing in the service of French thought and technology. It comprises 17 volumes of text and 11 volumes of plates published by Le Breton from 1751 to 1772; 4 volumes of supplements and 1 volume of plates. Finally, 2 volumes of alphabetical tables published by Panckoucke in 1780. The number of plates is 3099 (out of 3129), (30 plates, Lutherie, marbrerie et papeterie, have not been bound in this copy). It is, however, complete with the 3 plates of hermaphrodites that are often missing, the large fold-out table "Essai d'une distribution..." and, above all, the 2 different magnificent frontispieces, drawn by Cochin, one with the press and the other without it. Some differences in binding, restorations to many volumes (headbands, corners, hinges).