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In the natural history department, we focus on the great flower and bird books of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, particularly the work of artists such as Audubon, Catesby, Elliott, Gould, and Redoute. These books are not only works of art in their own right, but also provide a valuable record of many species sadly extinct.
Contact Julian MacKenzie or Bernard Shapero for more information about Natural History at Shapero Rare Books.
Third edition, folio, (55.5 x 39.2 cm); half-title, title, dedication to the Queen of the Netherlands and foreword in French, parallel text in French and English, 40 chromolithographed plates by P. Depannemaeker after Hoola van Nooten, scattered spotting and browning, minor paper adhesion to some plates; dark green half morocco by Sangorski and Sutcliffe, spine with raised compartments.
First edition. 4to., cviiii, 393 pp., 121 hand-coloured lithographs by Keulemans, some light spotting to plates; contemporary red half morocco gilt, a very good example.
First edition. 2 volumes, folio (534 x 375 mm). 79 hand-coloured lithographic plates, mostly by and after W. Hart or by Hart after J. Gould, a smaller number by Hart after J. G. Keulemans or by and after Keulemans, in-text woodcuts and half-tone illustrations; a little minor marginal soiling to two plates, else a clean, bright set; publisher's deep green morocco gilt; minor rubbing to the extremities; overalll a fine example.
First edition. 7 volumes, folio (54 x 35 cm). 530 hand-coloured lithographed plates by Gould, H.C. Richter, Joseph Wolf and W. Hart, printed by Hullmandel & Walton, T. Walter or Walter & Cohn; handful of plates in each volume with very light marginal spotting, some intermittent spotting to text, but generally a clean set; publisher's dark green morocco gilt; some minor rubbing, a little more so to extremities.
Second edition of birds, first edition of fishes, together two works in five volumes (3 + 2) 8vo, wood-engraved illustrations throughout, matching (birds green, fishes blue-green) morocco gilt extra, covers with gilt borders, spines in six compartments, gilt lettered direct in second and third, others richly gilt within panels, raised bands, all edges gilt, a fine set.
First edition; 3 vols, large 4to (42.4 x 32.5 cm); 114 hand-coloured lithographed plates after Edward Neale, some spotting; slightly later maroon half morocco.
First edition; 5 vols, folio (54 x 36 cm.); 367 hand-coloured lithographed plates after Gould, Joseph Wolf, H.C. Richter, list of subscribers; contemporary green morocco, gilt dentelle borders to covers, spines with raised bands and gilt tooling, a fine set.
The 'South Seas' issue; 2 vols bound as one; folio (35.5 x 29 cm, 14 x 11.5 in); two armorial bookplates to front pastedown; hand coloured etched frontispiece, two engraved parallel titles in English and French (the first with imprint also in French), engraved dedication to the King, two engraved explanatory tables, half-title, engraved plate of medals (undated), 80 hand coloured engraved plates numbered in a contemporaneous hand, with two loose contemporaneous single leaf prospectuses in English and French; contemporary full red morocco by L. Staggemeier and Welcher (with ticket), gilt-ruled borders of a Greek key roll and gilt-dotted rule, gilt spine with emblematic and classical tools offset by two green morocco contrasting lettering-pieces, all edges gilt, extremities lightly rubbed, a few minor stains to binding, very occasional spotting internally; 39, [1]pp (pagination begins half-title verso). A very fine copy.
Four original hand-coloured lithographic platesm ;; by Joseph Smit after Joseph Wolf.
Framed and glazed, overall size: 72cm by 58.5cm by 4.5cm.
Two original hand-coloured lithographic plates by Joseph Smit after Joseph Wolf.
Framed and glazed, overall size: 72cm by 58.5cm by 4.5cm.
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