Βασίλειος Βατάτζης (Basile Vatatzes): “Voyages de Basile Vatace en Europe et en Asie” . [Βασίλειος Βατάτζης : Περιηγητικόν]” (1732). Paris 1886 First and only edition (in an extremely rare scientific publication of late 19th century: Les Nouveaux Melanges Orientaux). The travel of Vatatzis (113p.and two folding plates, including his famous map) is edited by Emile Legrand, a famous Orientalist. Large 4to 26x18cm, complete the travel account and its commentary and plates, 112p.and two plates (one folding), as call for, text in original Greek and French translation. Modern paper boards, clean, overall very good. Βασίλειος Βατάτζης (Basile Vatace 1684-c.1745) was born in Constantinople and in 1700 was sent for trade by his father to Russia. After a long stay there, he had decided to travel around Europe and Asia. After several travels in Russia, the Caucasus, the Levant and Persia, in late 1720s he had become the first advisor of the powerful Shah of Persia. He had especially traveled a lot in Central Asia, an area almost completely unknown then and gives us precious information. He had designed the first ever reliable map of this area and he had arranged to be separately published, by Senex, with Greek inscriptions, in England in 1732 (Tolias 29). Only one copy remained (in The British Library) and the map has been exactly lithographed in this edition. The chaotic situation in Persia finally drove him to England. His travel account ,written in verses, had remained a manuscript. He had written also a story of Nadir Shah. EXTREMELY RARE.