Exceptional Horological Sale Celebrat...

Hotel Noga Hilton, Geneva, Apr 24, 2004

LOT 32

Encyclopédie ou Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers, par une 32 Société de Gens de lettres by Diderot and d?Alembert, in 35 volumes, published between 1751 and 1777.

The "Encyclopédie" was first published over the course of over twenty years (1751-1777). Its 35 volumes include 17 volumes of text with more than 70,000 articles on subjects ranging from horology to the zodiac, 4 supplemental volumes, and 2 volumes of tables. The remaining 12 volumes contain beautifully engraved plates illustrating many of the articles. The "Encyclopédie" was a major achievement of the French Enlightenment whose aim, in Diderot's words, was to "change the common way of thinking" through the expansion of knowledge and the development of critical modes of thought. The "Encyclopédie" was a collaborative project, the work of a "society of men of letters," as its title page declared. By the time the last volume was published, over 140 people had contributed articles to its pages. The "Encyclopédie" was a massive reference work for the arts and sciences, as well as catalyst which served to propagate progressive ideas. The impact of the "Encyclopédie" was enormous. Througits attempt to classify learning and to open all domains of human activity to its readers, the "Encyclopédie" gave expression to many of the most important intellectual and social developments of the time. Very good condition.