Colonial America
1785 “Historie de Kentucke, Nouvelle Colonie a l’Ouest de la Virginie” & Map by M. John Filson by M. Parraud, Paris Buisson
1785-Dated, Historic Book titled, “Historie de Kentucke, Nouvelle Colonie a l’Ouest de la Virginie,” by M. John Filson, translated by M. Parraud. Paris, Buisson, Complete With Fold-Out Map, Choice Extremely Fine.
This is the First French edition of the First History of Kentucky, pubished in English just the previous year. This book has 234 pages, and measures about 7.75” x 5” x 0.75” thick. The text in English under the title History of Kentucky, New Settlement in West Virginia. Ornate marbled calf cover of the time with some expected rubbing with a few small chips. Binding is very tight, pages are generally superbly clean, fresh and crisp, including the Engraved Fold-Out Map of Kentucky.

The land that now forms thS state of Kentucky was claimed in the name of France by the explorer Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle, who conducted two expeditions in the region of the Mississippi and Ohio river valleys in 1669 and 1673 (possibly 1679). The United States acquired this French claim to the land as part of Thomas Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Listed in Publications: Clark II:27. Church 1212; Field 537; Howes F129; Sabin 24338. Ex: Hotel des Ventes’ Chateau d’Hauteville Sale, September 11-12, 2015, part of lot 211. A wonderful original reference book.