Sold for $3,438

8vo (195 x 122 mm). Title-page with circular woodcut Great Seal of the United States: its first use in a printed book. (Some minor spotting to several leaves.) Contemporary French calf-backed paste-paper covered boards, smooth spine gilt, brown morocco lettering-piece gilt, edges stained red (some minor toning or rubbing, short separation to upper joint at head of spine). 

FIRST EDITION IN FRENCH OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, one of 600 copies (there was also a large-paper issue of 100 copies). The work includes the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and the treaties between the Untied States and France, the Low countries, and Sweden, and was translated by the Duc de la Rochefoucauld with over fifty footnotes by him. "Franklin's grand gesture in publishing and distributing these constitutions, about which there was an intense interest and curiosity among statesmen, was one of his chief achievements as propagandist for the new American republic" (Streeter). Howes C-716; Livingston, Franklin and His Press at Passy, pp.181-188; Sabin 16118; Streeter sale II:1035.