1911. Five volumes, large 8vo: I. pp. [ii] ‘legende’ to plate, [ii] half-title, [ii] cancel title-page including ‘Turin 1911’, viii, 782, [ii] blank, [iv] explanatory leaves to movable plates, copiously illustrated throughout with half-tone illustrations and diagrams and with three chromolithograph plates incorporating movable flaps (one bound at the front and two at the rear including one on rear pastedown), and with 29 of 30 plates in all comprising 2 double-page chromolithograph astronomical plates, one chromolithograph double-page map, three chromolithograph plates, and 23 black and white plates on 19 leaves (four leaves with plates on recto and verso, and three with text on verso); missing one chromolithograph plate at p. 208 depicting volcanic activity; II. [ii] ‘legende’ to plate, [iv], 771, [1], with one chromolithograph plate incorporating movable flaps, three chromolithograph plates, four double-page chromolithograph plates, and 25 black and white plates (one double-page); III. [ii] explanatory leaf to plate, [iv], 739, [1], copiously illustrated throughout, and with one chromolithograph plate incorporating movable flaps, six double-page chromolithograph maps, three chromolithograph plates and 17 black and white plates (two double-page; IV. pp. [ii] explanatory leaf to movable plate, [iv], 746, copiously illustrated throughout, with one chromolithograph plate incorporating movable flaps, 15 chromolithograph plates, 9 double-page chromolithograph maps, and 20 uncoloured plates on 15 leaves; V. pp. [ii] explanatory leaf, [iv], 829, [3] blank, xxvii general index, [1] blank, copiously illustrated throughout and with one chromolithograph plate incorporating movable flaps, 26 chromolithograph plates (two with printed overlays), 6 chromolithograph maps, and 10 black and white plates; uniformly bound in half brown morocco over tan cloth, spines ruled and lettered in gilt, upper covers with gilt vignette, lettering in white, and with blind-stamped decoration, all volumes with some light scuffing, rubbing and surface wear, and due to weight, all a little shaken; a good sound copy. DUE TO WEIGHT ADDITIONAL SHIPPING COSTS LIKELY. Seemingly the second edition, second issue with cancel title page reflecting the additional Gold Medal awarded at ‘Turin 1911’ (first 1907). A comprehensive and copiously illustrated home encyclopaedia which presents the state of knowledge at the beginning of the twentieth century. The French publisher Aristide Quillet was well-known at the time as a specialist in the publishing of detailed and richly illustrated scientific, medical and educational encyclopaedias, and ‘Mon Professeur’ is another striking example of his prolific output, as well as being a further collaboration with Philippe Hettinger, Professor at the University of Paris and ‘Directeur de la Collaboration Scientifique et Professionnelle’. Hettinger was himself the author of a number of popular works, several of which adopted the use of movable parts. Indeed ‘Mon Professeur’ includes a number of chromolithograph ‘flap’ plates, illustrating a large telescope, a colliery, an extracting machine, a dog rose, a frog, a diplodocus, and a telegraph machine.
Aristide Quillet was a passionate educator, and firmly believed that social advancement and ‘liberation’ was only possible through access to knowledge and culture. His published works, therefore, were aimed in particular at the general populace, and those who may not have had access to extensive schooling. ‘Mon Professeur’ provides a systematic introduction to a number of general topics, including astronomy, physics, chemistry, geology, botany, anatomy and physiology, geography, history, mathematics, art and design, and language and literature. Including numerous black and white, half-tone, and chromolithograph illustrations and maps, it provides an invaluable resource. It was later reprinted in 1932 in three volumes.
The present set is lacking one chromolithograph plate in volume one, and is without the separately published supplementary volume sometimes found.