[ALLOM (Thomas)] and PELLÉ (Clément). L'Empire chinois, illustré d'après des dessins pris sur les lieux par Thomas Allom, avec les descriptions des mœurs, des coutumes, de l'architecture, de l'industrie c. of the Chinese People, from the earliest times to the present day. London, Fischer, his co. S.d [1843-1845]. 4 parts in 2 volumes in-4, first edition, illustrated with 4 frontispieces engraved with the title of the work in English ("China, its scenery, architecture, social habits, c."), 4 title vignettes and 120 black hors-texte plates engraved on steel by Allen, Bradshaw, Sands, Willmore,... after drawings by Thomas Allom. This is the most complete panorama of China and its culture ever published. The engravings present scenes of daily life, architecture, events, traditions and costumes. There are texts and depictions of battles, landscapes, imperial palaces and Confucius temples, as well as plates showing Chinese jugglers, shows, the port of Honk-Kong, the Great Wall of China, Canton, Macao, the porcelain tower of Nanjing, the education of silkworms, opium smokers and more. Bound in red half-maroquin with corners, 5-ribbed spine, gilt title, author, tomaison and date, marbled edges, signed Lortic. (spine slightly faded, some rubbing, particularly to the nerves, light foxing mainly affecting the titles and frontispieces). Provenance: Natalis Rondot French economist, art historian and silk industrialist, Natalis Rondot was delegated by the Reims Chamber of Commerce to represent France in China during an extraordinary mission to negotiate trade treaties from 1843 to 1846. During this trip, Natalis Rondot became interested in Chinese, Japanese and Indochinese cultures, their silk-working techniques and learned Chinese. On his return, he made a decisive contribution to the development of Lyon's silk industry in the 1850s. Appointed by the Chamber of Commerce in 1856, he founded the Musée d'Art et d'Industrie de Lyon, the future Musée Historique des Tissus, which he inaugurated in 1864.