COUTTET (Joseph Marie). Chamonix, le Mont-Blanc, Courmayeur et Le Grand-Saint-Bernard. Genève, J.-G. Fick, 1851. In-12, recent half cloth binding, blue printed covers preserved. Extremely rare first edition. Descriptive itinerary of the main routes, the most remarkable heights and viewpoints, with indications of objects of interest or use to tourists, accompanied by a note on the neighbouring valleys of Saint-Gervais, Sixt and Samoëns. One of the first guides for excursionists. Gussets on the back covers (empty), 4 blank leaves with old notes in pencil at the head of the book, 14 blank leaves in fine (2 of which torn and missing), most with old annotations in pencil. Heavy wetness on all pages. Joseph-Marie Couttet (Chamonix 1792 - 1877), a Chamonix guide, climbed Mont Blanc thirteen times between 1818 and 1850, a record for the time. He was in particular the guide of the Hamel caravan in 1820 and of Henriette d'Angeville during her legendary ascent in 1838. Perret, 1146.