Details
MULSANT, Etienne and Edouard VERREAUX. Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux-mouches ou Colibris. Lyon: La Société Linnéenne, [1873-] 1874-1877 [-1879].
4 volumes, 4° (315 x 240mm.). 117 HAND-COLOURED LITHOGRAPHS INCLUDING MOST FROM THE SUPPLEMENT, after L. Bevalet and E. Mesplis, heightened with gum arabic, original upper wrapper for volume I with hand-coloured lithographic vignette, heightened with gum arabic, title and half-title for each volume. (Light spotting and browning to most plates, 24 plates discoloured.) Contemporary green half morocco, gilt, t.e.g. (extremities rubbed).
The Histoire Naturelle was originally published with 64 lithographic plates in four volumes. The supplement, which appeared in 1879 (although its cover-title is dated 1877), comprised another 56 plates, together with two pages of text giving an incomplete list of the plates, and instructions as to where they were to be inserted into the original work. In this copy, the plates (or most of them) appear to have been duly inserted, and the text leaf, covers and blank leaf of the supplement discarded. Zimmer notes that "the addition of these plates to the general work has led, apparently, to the citation of a varying number of plates under the earlier dates." Unfortunately, due to the similarity of the two sets of plates, it is not possible to decide whether the three plates missing from this copy are from the original work or from the supplement. Zimmer 448-9; Nissen IVB 659; Fine Bird Books p.96. (4)
4 volumes, 4° (315 x 240mm.). 117 HAND-COLOURED LITHOGRAPHS INCLUDING MOST FROM THE SUPPLEMENT, after L. Bevalet and E. Mesplis, heightened with gum arabic, original upper wrapper for volume I with hand-coloured lithographic vignette, heightened with gum arabic, title and half-title for each volume. (Light spotting and browning to most plates, 24 plates discoloured.) Contemporary green half morocco, gilt, t.e.g. (extremities rubbed).
The Histoire Naturelle was originally published with 64 lithographic plates in four volumes. The supplement, which appeared in 1879 (although its cover-title is dated 1877), comprised another 56 plates, together with two pages of text giving an incomplete list of the plates, and instructions as to where they were to be inserted into the original work. In this copy, the plates (or most of them) appear to have been duly inserted, and the text leaf, covers and blank leaf of the supplement discarded. Zimmer notes that "the addition of these plates to the general work has led, apparently, to the citation of a varying number of plates under the earlier dates." Unfortunately, due to the similarity of the two sets of plates, it is not possible to decide whether the three plates missing from this copy are from the original work or from the supplement. Zimmer 448-9; Nissen IVB 659; Fine Bird Books p.96. (4)