Joseph Pitton de TOURNRFORT, "Relation dun voyage au Levant fait par ordre du roi, contenant lhistoire ancienne et moderne de plusieurs isles”, Lyon 1717. Complete 3 volumes in 8vo. Second edition and first in octavo, published the same year as the first in Paris. Complete in 3 volumes with 153 beautiful copper engraved plates, drawn by Claude Aubriet, a skilful painter who accompanied Tournefort in the Levant. The plates depict numerous views of towns, people and monuments of Greece and Turkey, as well as flowers of the Levant. Tournefort (1656-1708) was a famous botanist, sent in 1699/1700 to the Levant in a secret mission by the French King on the pretext of botanic researches. He had visited many Greek islands, Constantinople and he was the first to visit and prepare a detailed travel account for the Pontos area and the interior of Anatolia. An influential travel book of the area. Contemporary full leather, slightly rubbed, a very good and clean copy. Atabey 959, Blackmer 1318 (for the Paris edition)