ACADEMIE ROYALE DES MEDAILLES & DES INSCRIPTIONS. Medailles sur les principaux evénéments du règne de Louis le Grand.Paris: Imprimerie Royale, 1702.

First edition, in contemporary red morocco with royal arms of France.This important engraved work describes the main events—military, diplomatic, and political—of the reign of Louis XIV through engravings of commemorative medals. The plates, a collaborative effort of the engravers Le Clerc, Simonneau, and Cochin, show both obverse and reverse of each medal in separate engravings above letterpress descriptions and within an engraved border, often followed by an additional engraved tailpiece. The explanatory text is by Charpentier, Boileau, Tallemant, Racine, and others. This copy without the preface, which was suppressed only a few days after the publication of the book and is frequently lacking. Cohen-de Ricci 695.

Folio (432 x 283mm). Engraved allegorical frontispiece by Simonneau l'aîné after Coypel, engraved title by Simonneau with large central vignette by Le Clerc, and 289 engraved plates with vignettes by Le Clerc, borders by Simonneau and medals by Cochi père (browning and occasional spotting). Contemporary French red morocco gilt, all edges gilt, with royal arms of France on covers (extremities worn).