Le Code Louis XIII. Roy De France Et De Navarre. [From the Library of George Washington].

First edition of Corbin's legal compilation of ordinances and judgments issued during the reign of Louis XIII of France, from the library of General George Washington. Folio, bound in full mottled calf, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, double gilt ruling and scrolling to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner denelles, marbled endpapers, title page printed in red and black, engraved vignette to the title page, illustrated with numerous wood-engraved initials and headpieces. From the library of General George Washington with a notation to the title page, "Formerly the property of Gen. Washington" and subsequently the Library of the New York Law Institute Special Collections (early notation on title-page near gutter, stamps). According to the Mount Vernon Library, George Washington signed many books in his library in the upper corner of the title-page, but not all of his books have signatures or bookplates. Upon Washington's death, his library was left to his nephew, Bushrod Washington. When Bushrod died, the books and papers were passed to Bushrod's two nephews, George Corbin Washington and John Augustine Washington II. In 1834, George Corbin sold the presidential papers and military focused books to the US government, becoming part of the Library of Congress. In 1847, George Corbin sold 359 of Washington's remaining books to the rare book dealer Henry Stevens, who sold the collection to the Boston Athenaeum. The other half of the original library, inherited by John Augustine, passed to his son in 1832 who later sold the nearly 300-volume collection at auction in 1876, scattering it to various private collectors and institutions. Corbin's compilation of the ordinances of Louis XIII of France was significant in the development of French legal literature and served as a valuable resource for understanding the legal context of early 17th-century France. Title page laid down. In very good condition. Rare and desirable. Books from Washington's library rarely come to market.