Lot #3: Rare Matching 3-Volume Set of Camille Flammarion Astronomical Works (1882–1884)

An exceptional matching three-volume library set of pioneering popular astronomy by the famed French astronomer Camille Flammarion. Published in Paris by C. Marpon et E. Flammarion during the 1880s, this set represents the pinnacle of 19th-century public scientific education. The volumes feature stunning illustrations, including intricate multi-page celestial maps, multi-layered color chromolithograph spectrograph plates, and detailed engravings of planetary bodies, lunar phases, and solar phenomena. • Volume 1: Les Étoiles et les Curiosités du Ciel (1882) – 792 pages. Features 400 figures, sky maps, and specialized plates. Acting as the official supplement to Astronomie Populaire. • Volume 2: Astronomie Populaire: Description Générale du Ciel (1884) – 836 pages. Flammarion's masterpiece, awarded by the Académie Française. Richly illustrated with 360 figures and chromolithograph plates. • Volume 3: Les Terres du Ciel: Voyage Astronomique sur les Autres Mondes (1884) – 773 pages. A fascinating historical text detailing contemporary planetary life theories, telescoping views, and maps. • Plates & Maps: The complex fold-out celestial charts, solar prominence sheets, and vibrant multi-color spectrograph plates remain included. • The Author: Camille Flammarion was arguably the most successful science popularizer in history. He made astronomy romantic, fascinating, and accessible, blending rigid calculations with philosophical speculation about extraterrestrial life (most notably in Les Terres du Ciel). • The Publisher: The imprint C. Marpon et E. Flammarion holds significant historical value. Camille's brother, Ernest Flammarion, co-founded this publishing house largely to print Camille's booming astronomical works, which laid the foundation for the massive Flammarion Éditions empire that still exists today. • The Ephemera Bonus: The 1943 Toronto Daily Star newspaper clipping concerning solar gold spectroscopy found tucked inside one book is a delightful piece of historical ephemera. Pickup category timeslot {A}