Versailles Almanac For The Year 1774, With A Plan And Map

A rare and valuable copy of the Étrennes Historiques et Géographiques, or Almanach de Versailles for the year 1774. Published in Paris (by Valade) and in Versailles (by Blaizot, at the Cabinet Littéraire, rue Satory), this historical work offers an exceptional account of court life and the organization of the royal city at the very end of the reign of Louis XV and at the accession of Louis XVI.
The almanac contains an exhaustive description of the city of Versailles, the King’s Household, the officials, the Royal Family, the ministers’ offices, as well as a list of the principal merchants and traders established there. Notable features:

• Inserted illustrations: This copy is complete with its two large fold-out maps engraved in intaglio:
• The Map of Versailles (engraved by Perrier), detailing the Palace, its gardens, its groves (with a complete alphabetical legend), and the city’s earliest streets.
• The Map of the Surroundings of Versailles, showing the topography, the woods, the royal hunting grounds, and the neighboring villages (Marly, Saint-Cyr, Trapes, Rocquencourt, etc.).
• Provenance & Distinctive Features: The title page bears a handwritten period signature in ink, “Devillars 1774”, accompanied by the notation “ex-libris,” adding undeniable historical charm to this copy. A medallion bearing the royal coat of arms is engraved on the title page.

Condition: Bound in period binding. The interior is in very fresh condition; the fold-out engravings are well-preserved and still have generous margins, with no major tears at the folds (rare, scattered foxing spots, natural for 18th-century paper). Period binding with normal signs of wear (see photos).
Size: in-12