Cartes du delta du Danube et plans comparatifs de l'embouchure et des quelques sections fluviales du bras de Soulina indiquant les derniers travaux qui y ont ete executes par la Commission Européenne (Maps of the Danube delta and comparative plans of the mouth and some river sections of the Soulina arm showing the latest work carried out there by the European Commission)

Leipzig: F. A. Brockhaus, 1874. First edition. Hardcover. vg- to vg+. Elephant Folio. 6 leaves, 60 (Nos. I-LIX plus XXXIb) plates, two of them folding, the others doubled-paged. Original three-quarter red morocco over green pebbled cloth, tightened with twelve original metal pegs, with gilt lettering and decor embossed medallion of cover, gilt lettering and raised bands on spine. Marbled endpapers.

Maps of the Danube delta and comparative plans of the mouth and of some river sections of the Soulina arm showing the last works which were carried out there by the European Commission according to the projects of Sir Chr. A. Hartley, its leading engineer, following the collection of comparative plans published by the commission in 1867. The commission of the Danube River (Commission Européenne) was authorized by the Treaty of Paris (1856), following the end of the Crimean War, and is considered the most successful international commission to control the Danube Delta commerce. It was the precursor of the League of Nations, the U.N. and the EU. This extensive atlas with detailed maps, charts and technical plans was compiled by the Commission to present the regulations put in place at the Danube Delta between 1857 and 1867, the first decade of neutrality of the region. It contains a detailed folding map of the Danube delta (30 x 50" / 1:100,000), rendered in color lithography as all plates, showing ports, Danube canals and their depth, compared to Russian measurements of 1829. The second folding map also showing the Danube Delta and additional maps showing various parts of the delta and its distributaries in detail, followed by charts and technical plans. All plates printed to double pages.

Text in French. Binding with some wear, bump at lower right corner, closed tear at tail of spine, with very light scuffing, rubbed and very light soiling. Large map reinforced with brown tape on verso, bleeding through, and small 3 x 2/12/" taping on front with two and a half inch closed tear here. Light foxing of endpapers and first few pages. Brown spots on plates XXI through XVII, barely affecting lithographs, mostly at margins of five plates. Binding in overall good, interior in very good- to very good+ condition.