Genaue und vollständige Staats-und Erd-Beschreibung der ganzen Helvetischen Eidgenossschaft, derselben gemeinen Herrschaften und zugewandten Orten. 4 vols.

With woodcut illustrations, head- and tail-pieces, and initials. 8vo. Contemp. half calf with titles on spines (worn). Zurich, Orell, Gessner & Compagnie, 1765-68. First edition. With the idea of producing a more accurate work than Anton Büsching's "Neue Erdbeschreibung" (1760), Orell commissioned Johann Conrad Fäsi (1727-1790) to write a complete and exact statistical work about Switzerland. In only four years, he rose to the task and his work must be considered a splendid achievement, dealing with geography, history, politics, and economics. Fäsi was a pupil of Johann Jacob Bodmer and like his teacher, he pursued a pragmatic historiography, omitting all fabulous accounts so often integrated in earlier historical works. Starting out with an overview, he then proceeds to describe each of the thirteen cantons and all the bailiwicks. - Somewhat browned or foxed, traces of wear, but still a fair copy of this rare edition. - Haller I, 743; Wyss 284; Wäber 34; Barth 17220; Feller/Bonjour 446f. GEOGRAPHY ; HELVETICA: ALLGEMEIN ; HELVETICA ; HISTORY ;