Paris, Panckoucke, 1784-1797. Five volumes in five. 4to (25.5 x 20.2 cm). Four titles to the Encyclopédie, four titles with wood-engraved vignette, to the Arts militaires volumes; 3334 pp. [viii, 783; 800; 753; 990]; two large, folded, engraved plates in the fourth text volume, 59 plates of which 31 double-sized in the plate volume. Uniform contemporary mottled half calf (corners vellum) over marbled boards. Spines with five raised, gilt-bordered bands; compartments with gilt snowflake vignettes and red and black morocco labels with double-gilt borders and title. Edges speckled red (text volumes); Later marbled boards (plate volume).

A rare part of the Ultimate Encyclopaedia and the largest of all great Encyclopaedias and the most important work published during the French Enlightenment. This section - complete in itself - written by the French soldier and writer Louis-Félix Guynement de Kéralio (1731-1793). A very good, set of all the plates, and the complete text, including the evidently rarer supplement, written by Jean-Gérard Lacuée de Cessac (1752-1841), and Joseph-Marie Servan Degerbey (1741-1808); and published almost ten years later, after Kéralio's death. Some wear to the spines and board edges; light, inobtrusive staining to several boards a few text leaves folded before cutting, resulting in partly uncut margins, otherwise, a very good, clean and complete text set (and two accompanying plates). The plate volume boards damaged; otherwise, very good. Schmitt, S. (2018) Inventaire des livraisons, des auteurs et du contenu de l’Encyclopédie méthodique( 1782-1832).