Duby, Pierre-Ancher Tobiésen. RECUEIL GÉNÉRAL DES PIÈCES OBSIDIONALES ET DE NÉCESSITÉ, GRAVÉES DANS L’ORDRE CHRONOLOGIQUE DES ÉVÉNEMENS: AVEC L’EXPLICATION, DANS L’ORDRE ALPHABETIQUE, DES FAITS HISTORIQUES QUI ONT DONNÉ LIEU À LEUR FABRICATION: À LA SUITE DESQUELLES SE TROUVENT PLUSIEURS PIÈCES CURIEUSES & INTERÉSSANTES, SOUS LE TITRE DE RÉCRÉATIONS NUMISMATIQUES. A Paris: Chez la Veuve de l’Auteur, rue des Moulins Butte S. Roch, No. 39. Et chez Debure l’aîné, Librairie de la Bibliothèque du Roi, Quai des Grands Augustins, 1786. Folio [34 by 26 cm], later tan half Spanish morocco, with marbled sides; spine with five raised bands, ruled, lettered and decorated in gilt; marbled endpapers. xvi, 147, (1) pages; woodcut title vignette; woodcut headpieces and tailpieces; 27 finely engraved plates of authentic coins and 4 additional plates depicting fantasies, or “Recreations Numismatiques.” Slight rubbing to binding; leaves with minor browning and occasional discoloration, but overall a most attractive copy. Near fine. A lovely copy of Duby’s important and rare work on obsidional coinage. Pierre-Anchon Tobiésen Duby (1721–1782) was a captain in the infantry who served as an interpreter for the royal library and the royal council of the Admiralty. This numismatic volume was published after his death by French archaeologist Michelet d’Ennery (1709–1786). It is remarkable and especially valuable for the detailed historical background it provides concerning the various issues of obsidional coins issued throughout Europe from 1521 to 1762, along with various other kinds of emergency coinage. It was largely based on the collection of Chevalier de Boullongne. Duby has long been considered the best source for establishing the authenticity of siege and necessity coins, since the subsequent work by Mailliet unwittingly lists many apocryphal pieces. Bassoli 37. Engel et Serrure 2272: “Ce recueil est bien supérior, comme plan et comme science, à l’ouvrage plus complet, publié de nos jours, par M. Mailliet.” Lipsius 106. Van Damme (1807) 891. Ex Kolbe & Fanning Sale 151, lot 256 at $1300 hammer.