CHARDIN Jean-Baptiste, "Journal du Voyage du Chevalier Chardin en Perse et aux Indes Orientales, Par la Mer Noir & par la Colchide", Amsterdam, A. Wolfgangh, 1686. Second edition, revised and corrected, published the same year with the first. 12mo, pp.[12],496,[8]. Text in French. Engraved title page, full-page portrait of "Johannes Chardin" and fifteen (15) engraved folding maps or panoramas. The French traveller Jean Chardin (1643-1713) had spent the years 1665-70 and 1671-77 in the Middle East and is considered the most knowledgeable westerner of his period with regard to Persian geography and customs. This is the first part of his travels, in the Ottoman Empire and through the Black Sea, Crimea and Georgia up to Ispahan. His full travels first were published in 1711. His account of the Persian court and his business transactions with the shah are of considerable interest. He first visited the Levant in 1665 in order to purchase gems. He made a second journey there in 1671, spending much time in the company of the artist Guillaume Grelot, whose drawings inspired the engravings in the present work. Chardins acute observations and valuable insights into oriental life were highly praised by Montesquieu, Rousseau, Gibbon and Helvetius, all of whom drew on his work in their own writings" (Atabey 218). Period full calf, original gilt-decorated spine with raised bands. Very light wear on joints, one small hole on full-page portrait and edge-wear on folding plans. Overall clean and tight. A Fine & scarce copy. Very Rare 17th century travel account on Black sea, as this part of the Ottoman Empire was inaccessible to the Europeans. Not in Atabey.