Carême (M[arie]-A[ntoine]) Projets d'Architecture...[pour les Embellissements de Paris], 6 parts in 1 vol., first edition, Part I with dedication to Alexander I of Russia, Part IV to Charles X of France, 36 engraved plates by Normand fils after Carême, occasional light spotting or soiling, original printed boards listing Livraisons 4, 5 & 6 on upper cover, uncut, rubbed and lightly stained, [Berlin Kat. 3592], folio, Paris, Firmin Didot, 1821-23-21-26-26-26.

⁂ Very rare complete edition of the only purely architectural publication by Carême. Having been abandoned by his father in Paris aged only 11 or 12 the boy was taken in by a restauranteur and became an apprentice in a patisserie, eventually becoming one of the most celebrated chefs of all time. He worked for many important figures of the day including Napoleon, Alexander I, the Prince Regent, Talleyrand and Baron James de Rothschild, creating huge confections of obelisks, pyramids and other structures as table centrepieces. These were modelled on or inspired by illustrations he found in books in the Bibliothèque Nationale, architecture being his first love.

In 1819 he had been summoned to St.Petersburg by Tsar Alexander I and the first part of this work features designs for monuments, columns and fountains for the public spaces of St.Petersburg, with similar designs for Paris in the remaining parts. It was published at his own expense and therefore unlikely that many copies were produced. It is extremely rare to find complete, especially in the original boards. No copies of any part are listed by OCLC, COPAC or KVK (although there is a copy listed in the Berlin Katalog), and a rebound copy in the Bibliothèque Nationale includes all the plates but is lacking two leaves of text.