A foundational work in the history of modern European thought, the Encyclopedie began in 1745 as a modest plan by Parisian publisher Andre Francois le Breton to release a French translation of Ephraim Chambers’ 1728 Cyclopaedia. After an initial failure under the editorship of Gua de Malves, Le Breton turned to the brilliant Denis Diderot to guide the project. Under Diderot’s leadership, the endeavor was radically re-imagined: this would be no mere translation, but a 10-volume work of original articles and plates encompassing the whole of human knowledge (the publisher’s prospectus of 1750 projected eight volumes of articles, two volumes of plates, and just 1,625 copies printed).

Co-editing the work alongside mathematician and philosopher Jean le Rond d’Alembert, and with the assistance of with the indefatigable Chevalier de Jaucourt (who contributed nearly 25% of the text), Diderot assembled entries from dozens of the most brilliant figures then-living in Europe. Among them were the Baron d'Holbach, Voltaire, Montesquieu, Marmontel, Condorcet, Necker, and Turgot. The work was met, by equal degrees, with immense public enthusiasm and energetic efforts at censorship by French clergy and factions with the government. The travails overcome by Diderot and company have become the stuff of literary legend: multiple revocations of royal privilege, seizure of volumes from subscribers, and the appearance of the Encyclopedie on the Church’s Index Librorum Prohibitorum. In 1759, facing a confluence of censorship and the departure of d’Alembert from the project, the project seemed nearly lost. But as the controversies grew, so did the public demand: subscriptions eventually quadrupled to over 4,000. The scope of the Encyclopedie expanded all the while, too, eventually swelling to seventeen volumes of text and eleven of plates.

A series of legal contrivances largely orchestrated by the liberal Directeur de la librairie, De Malesherbes allowed the printing of the plates volumes to continue largely unabated. However, the publication of the ten text volumes still unproduced was postponed until 1765 when all were simultaneously released (with “Neufchastel” stated falsely as the place of publication – the printing was carried out in Paris). However, the unscrupulous Le Breton, hoping to stave off further harassment by censors, had without Diderot’s knowledge significantly edited the proof-sheets before sending them to print. Diderot never forgave Le Breton, and would forever view the Encyclopedie as a failure.

Despite Diderot’s disappointment, the 28-volume work he shepherded over the course of two decades would radically reshape western philosophy. The Encyclopedie would come to be seen as the embodiment and icon of the Enlightenment project, epitomized in Cochin’s dramatic frontispiece and d’Alembert’s Discours Preliminaire in Vol. I of the articles. D’Alembert’s chart Systeme Figure des Connaissances Humaines, also appearing in the first volume, radically re-oriented all of human knowledge and practice away from revelation and theology towards reason, memory and imagination. Beyond the authors’ wildest expectations or intentions, their work would make an overwhelming contribution to the emergence of the French Revolution in 1789, and form a cornerstone in the development of Modern western philosophy.

A complete 28-volume set of the true first edition of Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d’Alembert’s Encyclopedie, comprised of 17 volumes of text and 11 volumes of plates. The text volumes were published between 1751 and 1765, the first seven listing Paris as their place of publication, and the remaining 10 volumes (all released in 1765) stating “Neufchastel”. The titlepages of the text volumes include accent marks. These accord with the standard points for a true first edition.

All 2,885 of the original plates appear to be present. Some bibliographies count the double-, triple-, etc. plates as multiples (rendering a count of 3,129 plates). The figure "2,885" reflects the numbering of the encyclopedists themselves and represents the total of originally included plates (See Darnton, The Business of Enlightenment).

All text volumes are double-columned. All 28 volumes are bound in contemporary tree-calf, with banded and gilt-ornamented spines, and brown leather spine labels with gilt lettering. The textblock edges of all volumes are dyed red. All volumes have marbled endpapers, and (unless otherwise indicated) cloth bookmarks.

Shelved in Room C. Sold as is.

Text / Article Volumes

ENCYCLOPEDIE, OU DICTIONNAIRE RAISONNE DES SCIENCES, DES ARTS ET DES METIERS, PAR UNE SOCIETE DE GENS DE LETTRES… TOME PREMIER; Diderot, Denis; d’Alembert, Jean le Rond; Briasson, David, Le Breton, Durand : Paris, 1751; First Edition. Folio, [xii], [fold-out chart], lii, 914 pages, [errata page]. In good plus condition. Boards show light wear to edges, light plus bumping and wear to corners, and significant cracking to leather along joints. Textblock has light shelf wear and several instances of light soiling to edges, very minor age-toning to pages throughout interiorly, and some light foxing to first few leaves. The fold-out chart Systeme Figure des Connaissances Humaines is intact, but has a 1.5-inch tear along the bottom fold. Includes the famous frontispiece engraving by Cochin, with explanatory text, as well as d’Alembert’s Discours Preliminaire. ALS of noted Diderot scholar Norman Torrey to Columbia President William Russell, dated November 11, 1953, laid in at front. Torrey explains to Russell how to determine if his copy of the Encyclopedie is a genuine first edition.

ENCYCLOPEDIE, OU DICTIONNAIRE RAISONNE DES SCIENCES, DES ARTS ET DES METIERS, PAR UNE SOCIETE DE GENS DE LETTRES… TOME SECOND; Diderot, Denis; d’Alembert, Jean le Rond; Briasson, David, Le Breton, Durand : Paris, 1751; First Edition. Folio, [iv], iv, 871 pages, [one errata page]. In good condition. Boards show light wear to edges, moderate bumping and wear to corners, , some minor chipping to leather on covers and at head of spine, and significant cracking to leather along joints. Textblock has several instances of light soiling to edges, very minor age-toning to pages throughout interiorly, and some light foxing to first few leaves.

ENCYCLOPEDIE, OU DICTIONNAIRE RAISONNE DES SCIENCES, DES ARTS ET DES METIERS, PAR UNE SOCIETE DE GENS DE LETTRES… TOME TROISIEME; Diderot, Denis; d’Alembert, Jean le Rond; Briasson, David, Le Breton, Durand : Paris, 1753; First Edition. Folio, [iv], xvi, 905 pages, [one errata page]. In good plus condition. Boards show light wear to edges, light plus bumping and wear to corners, and significant cracking to leather along joints. Textblock has light shelf wear to bottom edge, several instances of light soiling to top edge, very minor age-toning to pages throughout interiorly, and some light foxing to first few leaves.

ENCYCLOPEDIE, OU DICTIONNAIRE RAISONNE DES SCIENCES, DES ARTS ET DES METIERS, PAR UNE SOCIETE DE GENS DE LETTRES… TOME QUATRIEME; Diderot, Denis; d’Alembert, Jean le Rond; Briasson, David, Le Breton, Durand : Paris, 1754; First Edition. Folio, [iv], iv, 1098 pages. In good plus condition. Boards show light wear overall, light plus bumping and wear to top corners, and moderate cracking to leather along joints. Textblock has light shelf wear to bottom edge, several instances of light soiling to top edge, very minor age-toning to pages throughout interiorly, and some light foxing to first few leaves.

ENCYCLOPEDIE, OU DICTIONNAIRE RAISONNE DES SCIENCES, DES ARTS ET DES METIERS, PAR UNE SOCIETE DE GENS DE LETTRES… TOME CINQUIEME; Diderot, Denis; d’Alembert, Jean le Rond; Briasson, David, Le Breton, Durand : Paris, 1755; First Edition. Folio, [iv], xviii, 1011 pages, [one errata page]. In good condition. Boards show light wear overall, moderate bumping and wear corners, and moderate plus cracking to leather along joints. Textblock has several instances of light soiling, very minor age-toning to pages throughout interiorly, and some light foxing to first few leaves.

ENCYCLOPEDIE, OU DICTIONNAIRE RAISONNE DES SCIENCES, DES ARTS ET DES METIERS, PAR UNE SOCIETE DE GENS DE LETTRES… TOME SIXIEME; Diderot, Denis; d’Alembert, Jean le Rond; Briasson, David, Le Breton, Durand : Paris, 1756; First Edition. Folio, [iv], viii, 926 pages, [two errata pages]. In good condition. Boards show moderate wear to edges, light bumping and wear to corners, and moderate plus cracking to leather along joints. Textblock has light shelf wear to bottom edge, several instances of light soiling, very minor age-toning to pages throughout interiorly, and some minor creasing to top fore-edge of blank leaves / endpapers at back of volume.

ENCYCLOPEDIE, OU DICTIONNAIRE RAISONNE DES SCIENCES, DES ARTS ET DES METIERS, PAR UNE SOCIETE DE GENS DE LETTRES… TOME SEPTIEME; Diderot, Denis; d’Alembert, Jean le Rond; Briasson, David, Le Breton, Durand : Paris, 1757; First Edition. Folio, [iv], xiv, 1030 pages. In good plus condition. Boards show light wear overall, light bumping to corners, and minor cracking to leather along joints. Textblock has light shelf wear to bottom edge and very minor age-toning to pages throughout interiorly.

ENCYCLOPEDIE, OU DICTIONNAIRE RAISONNE DES SCIENCES, DES ARTS ET DES METIERS, PAR UNE SOCIETE DE GENS DE LETTRES… TOME HUITIEME; Diderot, Denis; d’Alembert, Jean le Rond; Samuel Faulche & Compagnie : Neufchastel, 1765; First Edition. Folio, [ii], ii, 936 pages. In good minus condition. Boards show moderate wear to edges, moderate plus bumping and wear to corners, significant cracking to leather along spine, and front board loose (but attached). Textblock has light age-toning, and occasional faint foxing throughout. Fold-out chart between pp. 934 and 935 is intact.

ENCYCLOPEDIE, OU DICTIONNAIRE RAISONNE DES SCIENCES, DES ARTS ET DES METIERS, PAR UNE SOCIETE DE GENS DE LETTRES… TOME NEUVIEME; Diderot, Denis; d’Alembert, Jean le Rond; Samuel Faulche & Compagnie : Neufchastel, 1765; First Edition. Folio, [ii], 956 pages. In good plus condition. Boards show light plus wear to edges, light cracking to joints, and light plus wear to corners. Textblock has light soiling to top edge, and moderate uneven age-toning to endpapers.

ENCYCLOPEDIE, OU DICTIONNAIRE RAISONNE DES SCIENCES, DES ARTS ET DES METIERS, PAR UNE SOCIETE DE GENS DE LETTRES… TOME DIXIEME; Diderot, Denis; d’Alembert, Jean le Rond; Samuel Faulche & Compagnie : Neufchastel, 1765; First Edition. Folio, [ii], 927 pages. In good condition. Boards show moderate wear to edges, moderate plus bumping and wear to corners, and significant cracking to leather along spine. Textblock has light age-toning interiorly, and some light soiling to front endpapers.

ENCYCLOPEDIE, OU DICTIONNAIRE RAISONNE DES SCIENCES, DES ARTS ET DES METIERS, PAR UNE SOCIETE DE GENS DE LETTRES… TOME ONZIEME; Diderot, Denis; d’Alembert, Jean le Rond; Samuel Faulche & Compagnie : Neufchastel, 1765; First Edition. Folio, [ii], 963 pages. In good condition. Boards show moderate wear to edges, light plus bumping and wear to corners, and significant cracking to leather along spine. Textblock has light age-toning interiorly, and some light soiling to front endpapers.

ENCYCLOPEDIE, OU DICTIONNAIRE RAISONNE DES SCIENCES, DES ARTS ET DES METIERS, PAR UNE SOCIETE DE GENS DE LETTRES… TOME DOUZIEME; Diderot, Denis; d’Alembert, Jean le Rond; Samuel Faulche & Compagnie : Neufchastel, 1765; First Edition. Folio, [ii], 965 pages. In good condition. Boards show moderate wear to edges, moderate bumping and wear to corners, significant cracking to leather along spine, and moderate chipping to leather at tail of spine. Top spine label has pulled away slightly from the spine, but is fully intact and attached. Textblock has light age-toning interiorly, and a small closed tear ffep [blank].

ENCYCLOPEDIE, OU DICTIONNAIRE RAISONNE DES SCIENCES, DES ARTS ET DES METIERS, PAR UNE SOCIETE DE GENS DE LETTRES… TOME TREIZIEME; Diderot, Denis; d’Alembert, Jean le Rond; Samuel Faulche & Compagnie : Neufchastel, 1765; First Edition. Folio, [ii], 914 pages, 34 pages. In good condition. Boards show light plus wear to edges, moderate bumping and wear to top corners, moderate cracking to leather along spine, moderate wear to covers, and some minor chipping to leather at head/tail of spine. Textblock has light age-toning interiorly, and very light soiling to top edge.

ENCYCLOPEDIE, OU DICTIONNAIRE RAISONNE DES SCIENCES, DES ARTS ET DES METIERS, PAR UNE SOCIETE DE GENS DE LETTRES… TOME QUATORZIEME; Diderot, Denis; d’Alembert, Jean le Rond; Samuel Faulche & Compagnie : Neufchastel, 1765; First Edition. Folio, [ii], 949 pages. In good plus condition. Boards show minor wear to edges, moderate bumping and wear to corners, and light plus cracking to leather along spine. Textblock has light soiling to edges and light uneven age-toning to pages throughout interiorly.

ENCYCLOPEDIE, OU DICTIONNAIRE RAISONNE DES SCIENCES, DES ARTS ET DES METIERS, PAR UNE SOCIETE DE GENS DE LETTRES… TOME QUINZIEME; Diderot, Denis; d’Alembert, Jean le Rond; Samuel Faulche & Compagnie : Neufchastel, 1765; First Edition. Folio, [ii], 950 pages. In good condition. Boards show light plus wear to edges, moderate bumping and wear to corners, significant cracking to leather along spine, and moderate chipping to leather at head/tail of spine. Textblock has light shelfwear to bottom edge, minor soiling to eop edge, and moderate foxing to ffep (blank).

ENCYCLOPEDIE, OU DICTIONNAIRE RAISONNE DES SCIENCES, DES ARTS ET DES METIERS, PAR UNE SOCIETE DE GENS DE LETTRES… TOME SEZIEME; Diderot, Denis; d’Alembert, Jean le Rond; Samuel Faulche & Compagnie : Neufchastel, 1765; First Edition. Folio, [ii], 962 pages. In good condition. Boards show moderate wear to edges, moderate bumping and wear to corners, and significant pus cracking to leather along spine (boards slightly loose, but attached). Textblock has light soiling to edges.

ENCYCLOPEDIE, OU DICTIONNAIRE RAISONNE DES SCIENCES, DES ARTS ET DES METIERS, PAR UNE SOCIETE DE GENS DE LETTRES… TOME DIX-SEPTIEME; Diderot, Denis; d’Alembert, Jean le Rond; Samuel Faulche & Compagnie : Neufchastel, 1765; First Edition. Folio, [ii], 890 pages. In good condition. Boards show light wear to edges and corners, significant cracking to leather along spine, and moderate chipping to leather along spine. Textblock has light soiling to edges, light uneven age-toning to pages throughout interiorly, and light soiling/age-toning to bfep.

Planches / Plates Volumes

RECUEIL DE PLANCHES, SUR LES SCIENCES, LES ARTS LIBERAUX, ET LES ARTS MECHANIQUES, AVEC LEUR EXPLICATION (Planches Vol. 1.); Briasson, David, Le Breton, Durand : Paris, 1762; First Edition. Folio, 269 plates with textual explication prefacing each subject. In good condition. Boards show light wear to edges, light plus bumping/wear to corners, moderate chipping to head/tail of spine, significant cracking to leather along joints, and the top spine label is slightly lifted from spine (but fully intact). Textblock has light shelfwear to bottom edge. All plates appear to be to be intact.

RECUEIL DE PLANCHES, SUR LES SCIENCES, LES ARTS LIBERAUX, ET LES ARTS MECHANIQUES, AVEC LEUR EXPLICATION. SECONDE LIVRAISON, EN DEUX PARTIES. PREMIERE PARTIE (Planches Vol. 2.); Briasson, David, Le Breton, Durand : Paris, 1763; First Edition. Folio, 233 plates with textual explication prefacing each subject. In good plus condition. Boards show light wear to edges, light plus bumping/wear to corners, light chipping to head of spine, light plus cracking to leather along joints, and the bottom spine label is slightly lifted from spine (but fully intact). Textblock has light shelfwear to bottom edge. The second collection of plates was released in two parts; this is part one. All plates appear to be intact.

RECUEIL DE PLANCHES, SUR LES SCIENCES, LES ARTS LIBERAUX, ET LES ARTS MECHANIQUES, AVEC LEUR EXPLICATION. SECONDE LIVRAISON, EN DEUX PARTIES. SECONDE PARTIE (Planches Vol. 3); Briasson, David, Le Breton, Durand : Paris, 1763; First Edition. Folio, 201 plates with textual explication prefacing each subject. In good condition. Boards show light wear to edges, light plus bumping/wear to corners, moderate chipping to head/tail of spine, and significant cracking to leather along joints. Textblock has light shelfwear to bottom edge. The second collection of plates was released in two parts; this is part two. All plates appear to be intact.

RECUEIL DE PLANCHES, SUR LES SCIENCES, LES ARTS LIBERAUX, ET LES ARTS MECHANIQUES, AVEC LEUR EXPLICATION. TROISIEME LIVRAISON (Planches Vol. 4); Briasson, David, Le Breton : Paris, 1765; First Edition. Folio, 298 plates with textual explication prefacing each subject. In good condition. Boards show light wear to edges and corners, moderate chipping to head/tail of spine, a one-inch gash to the leather along the spine, and moderate cracking to leather along joints. Textblock clean. All plates appear to be intact.

RECUEIL DE PLANCHES, SUR LES SCIENCES, LES ARTS LIBERAUX, ET LES ARTS MECHANIQUES, AVEC LEUR EXPLICATION. QUATRIEME LIVRAISON (Planches Vol. 5); Briasson, David, Le Breton : Paris, 1767; First Edition. Folio, 248 plates with textual explication prefacing each subject. In good condition. Boards show light wear to edges and corners, moderate chipping to head/tail of spine, and moderate cracking to leather along joints. Textblock clean. All plates appear to be intact.

RECUEIL DE PLANCHES, SUR LES SCIENCES, LES ARTS LIBERAUX, ET LES ARTS MECHANIQUES, AVEC LEUR EXPLICATION. CINQUIEME LIVRAISON, OU SIXIEME VOLUME (Planches Vol. 6); Briasson, David, Le Breton : Paris, 1768; First Edition. Folio, 294 plates with textual explication prefacing each subject. In good condition. Boards show light plus wear to edges and corners, moderate chipping to head/tail of spine, the top spine label is partially lifted from the spine (but attached and fully intact), and moderate cracking to leather along joints. Textblock has very light shelfwear to bottom edge, and plate xxi of the Histoire Naturelle section has partially separated from the binding (exposing part of the fore-edge, with some minre closed tears and light age-toning). All plates appear to be intact.

RECUEIL DE PLANCHES, SUR LES SCIENCES, LES ARTS LIBERAUX, ET LES ARTS MECHANIQUES, AVEC LEUR EXPLICATION. SIXIEME LIVRAISON, OU SEPTIEME VOLUME (Planches Vol. 7); Briasson, Le Breton : Paris, 1769; First Edition. Folio, 259 plates with textual explication prefacing each subject. In good condition. Boards show light plus wear to edges and corners, moderate chipping to head/tail of spine, both spine labels are partially lifted from the spine with some minor chipping to bottom label (but attached and fully intact), one minor instance of damage to the front cover apparently from application of an adhesive, and significant cracking to leather along joints. Textblock clean. All plates appear to be intact.

RECUEIL DE PLANCHES, SUR LES SCIENCES, LES ARTS LIBERAUX, ET LES ARTS MECHANIQUES, AVEC LEUR EXPLICATION. SEPTIEME LIVRAISON, OU HUITIEME VOLUME (Planches Vol. 8); Briasson : Paris, 1771; First Edition. Folio, 254 plates with textual explication prefacing each subject. In good condition. Boards show light plus wear to edges and corners, the top spine label is partially lifted from the spine (but attached and fully intact), moderate plus wear to front cover, and light plus cracking to leather along joints. Textblock clean. All plates appear to be intact.

RECUEIL DE PLANCHES, SUR LES SCIENCES, LES ARTS LIBERAUX, ET LES ARTS MECHANIQUES, AVEC LEUR EXPLICATION. HUITIEME LIVRAISON, OU NEUVIEME VOLUME (Planches Vol. 9); Briasson : Paris, 1771; First Edition. Folio, 253 plates with textual explication prefacing each subject. In good condition. Boards show light plus wear to edges and corners, light chipping to tail of spine, one instance of damage to the front cover from application of adhesive tape, and moderate cracking to leather along joints. Textblock clean. All plates appear to be intact.

RECUEIL DE PLANCHES, SUR LES SCIENCES, LES ARTS LIBERAUX, ET LES ARTS MECHANIQUES, AVEC LEUR EXPLICATION. NEUVIEME LIVRAISON, OU DIXIEME VOLUME (Planches Vol. 10); Briasson : Paris, 1772; First Edition. Folio, 337 plates with textual explication prefacing each subject. In good condition. Boards show light plus wear to edges and corners, light chipping to tail of spine, one instance of damage to the front cover from application of adhesive tape, and moderate cracking to leather along joints. Textblock clean. All plates appear to be intact.

RECUEIL DE PLANCHES, SUR LES SCIENCES, LES ARTS LIBERAUX, ET LES ARTS MECHANIQUES, AVEC LEUR EXPLICATION. DIXIEME ET DERNIERE LIVRAISON, OU ONZIEME ET DERNIER VOLUME (Planches Vol. 11); Briasson : Paris, 1772; First Edition. Folio, 239 plates with textual explication prefacing each subject. In good minus condition. Boards show light wear to edges, moderate bumping and wear to corners, moderate chipping to head/tail of spine, and significant cracking and chipping to leather along joints. Textblock clean. All plates appear to be intact.

[Oversized book(s). Additional postage necessary for expedited/international orders. Economy International shipping unavailable due to size/weight restrictions. For international/expedited customers, please inquire for rates].