Rare complete set of Lefuel’s Georama de l’Afrique.

The work consists of seventeen maps: a map of the continent of Africa, and sixteen regional maps. The continental map is accompanied by an eight page explanatory booklet, with the regional maps each having four explanatory cards. The booklet and text cards provide information on the regions geographical extent and features such as, islands, mountains, rivers, lakes, and canals; as well as political divisions, towns, government, language, population and manufactures. The present work also contains the ‘Géomara Universel, ou Description Générale de la Terre’, a 31 page booklet detailing the geological, political, and commercial make up of the Earth. As the advert to the rear of the booklet notes, one could also buy similar works on Asia, Europe, America, and the Oceans.

Contents

1. [Africa] Afrique – double-page.
2. [Egypt] Egypte – 4 cards.
3. [North Coast of Africa] Barbarie – 4 cards.
4. [Sahara Desert] Sahara ou Grand Désert- 4 cards.
5. [Sudan] Nubie – 4 cards.
6. [Ethiopia] Abyssinie – 4 cards.
7. [Somalia] Côte d’Adel et d’Ajan – 4 cards.
8. [Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania] Côte de Zanguebar – 4 cards.
9. [Mozambique and Madagascar] Mozambique – 4 cards.
10. [Madagascar] Madagascar – 4 cards.
11. [South Africa] Cafrerie – 4 cards.
12. [South Africa] Gouvernement du Cap. – 4 cards.
13. [Namibia] Hottentotie – 4 cards.
14. [Angola, Gabon] Guinée Inférieure – 4 cards.
15. [Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equitorial Guinea, Gabon] Guinée Sipérieure – 4 cards.
16. [Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea-Bassau, The Gambia, Senegal] Sénégambie – 4 cards.
17. [Mali, Niger] Nigritie – 4 cards.

Rare we are unable to trace a complete set of the cards appearing at auction in the last fifty years. We are only able to trace three institutional examples: the Newberry Library; University of California Library; and the Bibliotheque Nationale de France.