FELIBIEN (Michel) - LOBINEAU (Guy-Alexis).Histoire de la ville de Paris.Paris : Guillaume Desprez, Jean Desessarts, 1725. - 5 volumes in-folio, 384 x 248: frontispiece, (10 ff.), lxxvj pp. lxxv*-*lxxvj, pp. lxxvij-cc, 675 pp., 1 plan, 6 plates; (2 ff. first blank), pp. (677)-1544, lvj pp., 26 plates; viij pp, pp. (v)-cij, 819 pp; (2 ff. first blank), 839 pp; (2 ff. first blank), 944 pp. Original edition of this great history of Paris, begun by Michel Félibien (1665-1719) and completed by Guy Alexis Lobineau (1667-1727). Dom Michel Félibien, a native of Chartres, was a Benedictine monk of the Congrégation de Saint-Maur, renowned for his erudition. After entering the Abbey of Lire in Normandy at the age of 18, he continued his studies at Saint-Denis, where he devoted much of his time to writing a History of the Royal Abbey of Saint-Denis, published in 1706. His expertise attracted the attention of the provost of Paris and the aldermen, who commissioned him to write a History of Paris. Despite his frail health, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to the project. However, he died in 1719, aged 54, without having been able to complete his work. Dom Guy Alexis Lobineau, a native of Rennes, was also a Benedictine monk of the Congrégation de Saint-Maur. Born into a family of jurists, he distinguished himself with his work on the Histoire de la Bretagne (1707), a two-volume work covering the period from 458 to 1532. After Félibien's death, he took over the Histoire de Paris project, completing his predecessor's research and adding numerous supporting documents. The work was finally published in 1725 in 5 volumes. The first two volumes contain the history of the capital, preceded by a Dissertation on the origin of the Hôtel de ville de Paris followed by supporting documents and a Dissertation or observations on the remains of an ancient monument, found in the choir of Nôtre-Dame de Paris on 16 March 1711. These two volumes are illustrated with an allegorical frontispiece and 3 fine copper-engraved headbands by Simonneau fils after Hallé, except for the first headband engraved by Charles-Nicolas Cochin. There is also a fine woodcut headband, a fold-out map of Paris and 32 plates. Volumes 3 to 5 contain the "Recueil de pièces justificatives pour l'histoire de la ville de Paris contenant les dissertations, Actes, Bulles, Diplomes, Extraits, & autres Pieces", preceded by an interesting chronological table and a "Glossaire ou explication des mots latins hors d'usage, ou de la langue vulgaire, Latinisés". Several headpieces bumped and missing, corners dulled, rubbing from use. Tear without missing in the centre of the map of Paris. A few rare wet spots.