[America] Robertson, (W.). Histoire de l'Amérique

Traduite de l'Anglois. Paris, Pancoucke, 1778, 3 vols., (4),XXIV,407,(1); (4),572; (4),525,(3) p. With 4 large fold. engr. maps of the Gulf of Mexico, South America, Mexico and the Northwestern part of South America, and 1 fold. engr. plate. Cont. unif. marbled calf, gilt and ribbed spine w. 2. contrast. mor. letterpieces. First map w. some sm. brown stains, 3 maps w. sm. tears. Headcaps of spines lackin/ chipped, outer corners a bit bumped.

Panckoucke published this work (that is subdivided in 8 chapters called "livres") in a number of variations in 1778, in 2, 3 (as ours) and in 4 vols. (see a 4-volume version in this auction). French translation of a very popular anthropological account of the indigenous history of Mexico and Peru. Borba de Moraes, p. 740-741: "In these volumes Robertson wrote the first history of the discovery and Spanish conquest of America based on ample bibliographical information and documents in the Simancas archives. The bibliography [catalogue of books and manuscripts] at the end of the last volume is remarkable for the time."