Details
[BUFFON, Georges Louis Leclerc (comte de), P.GUÉNEAU DE MONTBEILLARD & G.L.C.A.BEXON.] Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux. Paris: Imprimerie Royale, 1771-1786.
10 volumes, 2° (450 x 330mm.). 973 plates by F.N.Martinet and others, etched under the supervision of E.L.Daubenton, finely hand-coloured within yellow wash borders, a few titled and numbered in manuscript (occasional browning to text, small tear to lower blank margin of title of vol.V, in vol.VII plate number 227 smudged and plate number 14 browned). Contemporary Fench mottled calf gilt, covers with decorative border of roll tools and flower and foliage tools, spine in eight compartments, two with green morocco lettering pieces, the others with flower and foliage decoration, g.e. (some scuffing to covers, particularly vol.VIII, joints occasionally slightly split, light surface damage to lettering pieces on three vols.).
LARGE PAPER COPY with the letterpress surrounded by an ornamental border. A fine set containing all the plates of birds but, as often, without the 35 additional non-ornithological plates. 'One of the early landmarks in the history of ornithology': Zimmer p.104; Nissen VBI 158; Anker 77; Fine Bird Books p.64. (10)
10 volumes, 2° (450 x 330mm.). 973 plates by F.N.Martinet and others, etched under the supervision of E.L.Daubenton, finely hand-coloured within yellow wash borders, a few titled and numbered in manuscript (occasional browning to text, small tear to lower blank margin of title of vol.V, in vol.VII plate number 227 smudged and plate number 14 browned). Contemporary Fench mottled calf gilt, covers with decorative border of roll tools and flower and foliage tools, spine in eight compartments, two with green morocco lettering pieces, the others with flower and foliage decoration, g.e. (some scuffing to covers, particularly vol.VIII, joints occasionally slightly split, light surface damage to lettering pieces on three vols.).
LARGE PAPER COPY with the letterpress surrounded by an ornamental border. A fine set containing all the plates of birds but, as often, without the 35 additional non-ornithological plates. 'One of the early landmarks in the history of ornithology': Zimmer p.104; Nissen VBI 158; Anker 77; Fine Bird Books p.64. (10)