C. Briquel Manuscript and watercolour album, titled 'Oeufs des principaux Oiseaux de France', [?Lunéville, France: circa 1880?]. 4° (318 x 260mm). Mounted on guards throughout, title (composed using mounted black paper cut-out letters with signature of Briquel beneath, verso blank), 19pp. general index ORIGINAL WATERCOLOUR DRAWINGS OF 217 BIRD'S EGGS, on 62 leaves, all by Briquel. (Slight damage to title, marginal worming to title and following three leaves.) Contemporary French brown half morocco gilt, spine in six compartments with raised bands, lettered in the second, the others with simple repeat pattern of a a centrally-placed gilt fleuron tool (some scufffing to extremities). Provenance: Honoré Arnoul d'Agreér (lengthy presentation inscription from Briquel). A beautifully presented survey of the eggs of all the birds found in France. The leaves are presented by Order and Family (starting with the Eagles, Hawks and Owls), with each section preceeded by at least one leaf giving details of the Order, Family and individual Species to follow. The number of eggs shown on the 62 leaves varies from 1 to 6, each egg is shown resting on a small piece of timber, the species identified beneath using the scientific Latin binomial and the common French name, the brief text gives details of what type of nest, the location and the number of eggs laid. Briquel gives lengthy details of his academic qualifications in the presentation inscription: 'membre Correspondant de ll'Académie de Stanislas (Nancy), de l'Académie de Metz, de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle de la Moselle, de la Société Linnéenne de Normandie, membre et Luariat de la Société libre d'Instruction et d'Education populaires... Ancien Avocat, Conservateur de Muséum de Lunéville.' Lunéville is a city in the French department of Meurthe-et-Moselle in the Region Lorraine.

C. Briquel