DIDEROT (Denis) - ALEMBERT (D'). Encyclopedia, or reasoned dictionary of sciences, arts and crafts, by a society of literary people. New edition. Geneva : Pellet, 1777-1779. - 39 volumes in-4, marbled basane, spine ribbed and decorated, red edges (period binding). Second Geneva edition, the first in-4 of the famous Diderot-D'Alembert "Encyclopedia". The 36 volumes of text include a portrait of D'Alembert after Charles-Nicolas Cochin in the frontispiece of the second volume, a plate in volume 36 ("Horlogerie, Différents Echappements"), as well as 11 folding tables outside the text. The 2 folding tables in the 34th volume are included in the pagination and constitute pages 717 to 719 and 731 to 734. In addition, there are 434 plates and 10 folding maps in the last three volumes. NINE OF THE PLATES DEVOTED TO THE NAVY WERE COLORED AT THE TIME. Only the portrait of Diderot is missing in the first volume. Copy of which all volumes are addressed to Jean-Léonard Pellet. This is noteworthy because it is common to find them mixed with the Neufchâtel edition of 1778-1779. Handwritten notes from the period in the lower margin of pages 678 and 679 in volume 15 and page 35 in volume 16. Bindings in disrepair with numerous chips and worm work, several endpapers are torn. Volumes 2 and 35 come from another copy, the bindings are decorated with different decorations. The first table in the first volume is disbound. Tear with missing edge of title of volume 12. Mottling (important in volumes 7, 9, 17, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 27), and worm work sometimes reaching the text (important in volume 17). The plates are very well preserved. On some of the anatomical engravings, the private parts have been covered at the time.