The illustrations are facsimile reproductions of early views, plans, autograph signatures, manuscripts, book-plates, art bindings, etc. A contribution by L. M. Tisserand, "Ancienne bibliothèque de l'Hotel de Ville", (t. III, p. 181-300) was reissued as a seperate volume of the "Histoire générale de Paris" the same year (1873) under title: La première bibliothèque de l'Hotel de Ville de Paris (1760-1797). To this issue an "Avant propos" and index were added.

The number of impressions taken of three plates illustrating this article seems to have been insufficient to supply both issues. Tisserand having taken care to have the seperate issue supplied first.

One or other or all three of the plates are usually lacking in t. III of the "Anciennes bibliothèques" where they are specified in the list of illustrations as no. LIII (port. of Turgot), LIX ("Les bienfaiteurs de la bibliothèque de la vill". 4 port. on 1 pl.), and LXII ("l'évéque de Callinique, port. of Nicolas de Livry).

It may also be noted that although volume 3 is dated 1873, that part containing Tisserand's monograph (written 1869) must have been printed before 1871: no reference is made by note or otherwise to the destruction of the library, May 24, 1871, during the Commune, a fact mentioned however in the "Avant propos" to the seperate issue.

Of the monographs incorporated by Franklin in this work several had appeared seperately in book form, notably the history of Mazarine (1860) Notre Dame (1863) Faculté de méde (1864) Abbaye de Sainte-Victor (1865), and a series of the shorten notices had been printed in the Bulletin du bibliophile 1864-1879/1 under the caption "Les anciennes bibliothèques de Paris"

While some others first printed in the present work were later published seperately, designated as second editions, with additions and corrections: Bibliothèque du roi (1875), La Sorbonne (1875)

Reprint of the 1867-73 Paris ed. with reproduction of original t.p.