DESSAIX (Joseph) and Xavier EYMA. Nice and Savoie. Sites pittoresques, monuments, description et histoire des départements de la Savoie, de la Haute-Savoie et des Alpes-Maritimes (ancienne province de Nice) réunis à la France en 1860. Paris, Henri Charpentier, 1864. 3 volumes in folio. Volumes 1 and 3 bound in contemporary half basane, boards in contemporary cloth with some rubbing and tears revealing the cardboard. Volume 2 in contemporary half-bassoon binding, boards covered with recent cloth. Uniform smooth spine, with gilt fillets, gilt title and tomaison, gilt initials M. M. at foot (Period binding). Beautiful work, illustrated with 3 lithographed titles, 2 maps and 90 large lithographs in colour drawn by Félix Benoist and lithographed in colour by E. Cicéri, Sabatier, etc. presenting the classic and famous sites of Annecy, Chambéry, Hautecombe, Thonon, Évian, Chamonix, Sixt, Nice, Menton, Monaco, etc. This book was designed to introduce the French to the newly-attached territories (Savoie and Comté de Nice). The first volume covers the département of Savoie, the second that of Haute-Savoie and the third that of Alpes-Maritimes. Without the rare supplement on the arrondissement of Grasse. Scattered foxing to text and plates. Joseph Dessaix (Allinges 1817 - Evian 1870), nephew of General Dessaix who distinguished himself in Napoleon's army (not to be confused with General Desaix, the illustrious winner of the Battle of Marengo), was a journalist, politician and writer from Savoie. He faced imprisonment, a duel and exile for his republican political convictions, but was eventually pardoned, bolstered by his popularity. He is best known for composing the Chant des Allobroges, a hymn to freedom that has become the Savoyard song. He founded the Société Savoisienne d'Histoire et d'Archéologie, of which he was the first President. Félix Benoist (Saumur 1818 - Nantes 1896) was a French painter and draughtsman who specialised in landscape views of Brittany, Normandy and Savoy. Xavier Eyma is the pseudonym of Adolphe Ricard (Saint-Pierre de la Martinique 1815 - Paris 1876); a French journalist and writer, he travelled to the Americas and published several works on these lands. A fine copy in an attractive publisher's binding. Perret, 1324 - Regards sur les Alpes 80 - CAS p. 465 - Not in ACL nor in CAI