ref. 15440 — A La Haye, Chez Pierre de Hondt, 1739. Titles printed in red and black, with folding table on two sheets and 1 engraved plate. 6 volumes in 3. (2), 204 pp.; (2), 312 pp.; (2), 208 pp.; (2), 286 pp.; (14), 294 pp.; (18), 246 pp. Small 8vo. Modern overlapping vellum, red morocco labels. Kress 4447; Goldsmiths 7712; Einaudi 3728; INED 1553; Mattioli, 2247; Conlon 39:427; JFBL M162; European Americana, 739/191; not in Sabin. The only edition of this important work. An account of the financial operations of John Law and his 'Compagnie des Indes', including a great number of important memoirs, letters patent, decrees, declarations, etc. Barthélemy Marmont du Hautchamp (1682 - ab. 1760) was an admirer of John Law's system and his book is not written without partiality but has yet been recognized as the best contemporary history of the system and its most precious source. John Law's operations began with the foundation in 1716 of the 'Banque Générale', soon afterwards renamed 'Banque Royale'. This was followed by the scheme of colonization known as 'Mississippi scheme' in the 'Compagnie des Indes' which, by absorbing various other chartered companies, acquired the monopoly on the trade to America, Africa and China. Moreover, the company obtained the monopoly of tobacco, the control of the mint, the payment of the national debt, and the farm of the taxes. Within a few years Law's companies thus got almost complete control over France's overseas trade, its currency and public finances, to the extend that Law's companies at one point owned more than half of the then known United States. In 1719 the 'Compagnie des Indes' and the 'Banque Royale' were united, and the promising outlooks of the new company lead to an unprecedented speculation in its shares. As known the bubble burst in 1720, cash payments were suspended and Law fled from the country, leaving behind ruined many of his former supporters.The last 2 volumes contain the full texts of the 'mémoires', 'letters patentes', 'édits', 'déclarations', 'arrêts', etc., mostly by the Conseil d'État, as well as many other documents of which many are dealing with the 'Compagnie d'Occident', and the 'Compagnie des Indes Orientales et de la Chine', on which documents the author based this thorough and important history.Marmont du Hautchamp was born in Orléans and fermier des domaines in Flanders. He was also the author of the famous and very rare Histoire générale et particulière du visa (also published in The Hague, in 1743) which also dealt with the activities of John Law and the Mississippi bubble.
