Der Monatlich-herausgegebenen Insecten-belustigung by Roesel von Rosenhof, August Johann - 1740

London: R. Havell, Marshall Simpkin and Thomas Richardson, 1838. First edition (reissue).. Green morocco on the spine is lightly sunned, a few plates trimmed along the lower margin occasionally touching plate-marks but with no effect to color images, there is no plate number for plate 41; a tight, bright and clean copy in near fine condition.. Pp. (vi), 55 hand-colored copper-engraved and aquatint plates by Havell after Margaret Roscoe's drawings on wove paper with J. Whatman Turkey Mill watermarks dated 1828, interleaved with letterpress descriptions facing each color plate, section titles (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter). Finely bound by Sangorski and Sutcliffe in three-quarter dark green morocco over pale green cloth boards, spine with five raised bands, gilt-lettered in three compartments and gilt floral decorations in other compartments, top page edge gilt, 4to (11.5 x 9 inches; 29 x 23 cm). The author was William Roscoe's daughter-in-law and was better known as a botanical artist… Read More

Philadelphia: W.M. Rutter, 1871. leather_bound. 184, 180, 180, 207, 215. 27 x 19 cm. 277 colored plates -- 156 hand-colored plates (MIchaux) and 121 lithographic plates with hand-coloring (Nuttall), plus engraved frontispiece of Michaux. The Michaux plates were drawn by the Redoute brothers, and Pancrace Bessa. Originally published 1810-1813, translated into English by Hillhouse, 1817. Reissued in Philadelphia, 1850-1851 with Notes by J.J. Smith. Nuttall's Supplement was issued in 1853. SABIN 48695. "Of the two works united, it is no exaggeration to remark that it is the most complete work of its kind, and is a production of unrivaled beauty, giving descriptions and illustrations of all the forest trees of North America, from the arctic limits of arborescent vegetation to the confines of the tropical circle." NISSEN 1361 & 1458. Index. Raised bands, spine labels lettered in gilt, armorial bookplates of Grenville-Lindall-Winthrop, plates and text clean, hint of toning limited to free endpapers first… Read More

London, 1736. First Edition . Full Leather. Good/No Jacket. 4to. 76 pages, plus 53 copper engraved plates, most of which are hand colored. Original leather covers, with gilt decoration along edges are a little pitted, though generally good. Rebacked with leather covers over spine, which overlaps slightly with original decoration on boards. Gilt lettering on spine. End leaves are a little darkened and show various penciled/inked marks. Hinges with modern reinforcement. There is a little separation of two signatures of leaves, though paper remains tight. First four leaves are a little darkened and show a little offsetting; Volume is complete and otherwise in very good condition. Plates with life size representations of spiders are stunning.

Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution, 1891. Limited Edition. Quarto. After Gray's death, the 23 plates were thought to have been lost but had been carelessly stored in his sprawling house. These surviving plates (total in all the few known complete copies) were expertly drawn by Isaac Sprague. They have survived as fine chromolithographic plates (2 folding). The Smithsonian then issued them in portfolio format in an edition of 300 copies. The plates as in all auction copies are numbered 1-4, 8, 10, 20, 25, 27, 30, 31, 34, 35, 39, 40, 41, 46-50, 52, 63. The orignal title page as well as an introduction by Samuel P. Langley, who was Secretary of the Smithsonian, were mounted and laid in. Our copy collates the same as the Smithsonian copy (other copies have images sometimes reversed, possibly due to a binder's error; a few on OCLC appear to be missing plates). The last copies to appear at auction were in the early 1990's and typically brought between $2,000 to $4,000 even with stated imperfections.… Read More

In Venezia, Dalle stampe delli Fratelli Bassaglia a spese di Antonio Zatta, 1782 - 1791.
16º. (19 cm x 11 cm.), 59 Volumes, contemporary paper covers, title and number in each spine. Frontispiece with portrait of Giorgio Luigi Leclerc, Count of Buffon. Geographical maps and more than 800 engravings. Natural, general and particular history of Mr. Conte di Buffon (intendant of the King's garden, of the French Academy and of the sciences). Italian edition, the volumes are smaller than the French edition.
Volumes: 1-2 Of The Theory of the Earth, 3-4 Of the Epochs of Nature, 5-7 Introduction to the History of Minerals, 8 which serves as a follow-up to the Theory of the Earth and an introduction to the history of minerals, 9 of the observations and experiences on the production of animals, 10 Continuation of observations, 11 Continuation of the natural history of man, 12 probabilities of the duration of life, 13 additions to various articles of natural history, 14 speeches given in the French academy, 15… Read More

Philadelphia: W.M. Rutter, 1871. leather_bound. 184, 180, 180, 207, 215. 27 x 19 cm. 277 colored plates -- 156 hand-colored plates (MIchaux) and 121 lithographic plates with hand-coloring (Nuttall), plus engraved frontispiece of Michaux. The Michaux plates were drawn by the Redoute brothers, and Pancrace Bessa. Originally published 1810-1813, translated into English by Hillhouse, 1817. Reissued in Philadelphia, 1850-1851 with Notes by J.J. Smith. Nuttall's Supplement was issued in 1853. SABIN 48695. "Of the two works united, it is no exaggeration to remark that it is the most complete work of its kind, and is a production of unrivaled beauty, giving descriptions and illustrations of all the forest trees of North America, from the arctic limits of arborescent vegetation to the confines of the tropical circle." NISSEN 1361 & 1458. Index. Raised bands, spine labels lettered in gilt, armorial bookplates of Grenville-Lindall-Winthrop, plates and text clean, hint of toning limited to free endpapers first… Read More

LONDON, COTES, 1610. FIRST EDITION, TWO VOLUMES. RECENTLY PROFESSIONALLY RESTORED AND RE-BOUND IN FULL CALF, RAISED BANDS AND GILT TITLES, NEW ENDPAPERS. HENCE A VERY ATTRACTIVE AND TIGHT SET. A NUMBER OF (MISSING) PAGES HAVE BEEN BY REPLACED BY FACSIMILIES, INCLUDING THE TITLE PAGE AND PRELIMS. OF VOLUME 1. PAGES 1631 TO 1648 ARE BOUND IN AFTER FINIS. THE INDEX (PAGES 1689 TO 17550 ARE PHOTOCOPIES. WITH NUMEROUS (OVER 2000) WOODCUTS IN THE TEXT. VOLUME 1, 874 pp, VOLUME TO 875 TO 1688, PLUS INDEX TO PAGE 1755. IN SUMMARY: A LOVELY BINDING OF A COMPLETE COPY BUT WITH MANY FACSIMILIE PAGES.

United Kingdom, 1840. Book. Very Good. Leather. Original. 24 x 29.5 Cm. A collection of 43 very fine, early/mid 19th century, comparatively large (approximately 285 x 235 mm), original watercolour studies of different species of South African Ericas, each autographed with the species name. Housed in a red straight-grained morocco case with closing flap and the words "In Memoriam Madre Mia" (in memory of my mother). While there is no reference to the originator of these studies, they are executed in a style close to that used by Henry C. Andrews for his Monograph on the Genus Erica (1804-1812). The present watercolours do not correspond directly to those but the composition is similiar and it is possible they were executed by Andrews in connection with the publication. Notwithstanding, they are highly accomplished, reminiscent of the best botanical artists of the day. They are painted onto fine-textured card; this card for a number of paintings is blind embossed to the corners… Read More

York, Yorkshire, UK: Printed for the Author by Thomas Wilson and Sons, 1829. 1st Edition 1st Impression. Hardcover. Very Good. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. First edition (a second part, published by John Murray, followed in 1835/6). xvi, 192pp plus ten maps and charts, all but one of which are hand-coloured, and 14 further plates of monochrome line drawings. Slip bound in giving additional subscribers. In a later library binding of green cloth-covered boards, gilt titles on spine. Rubbed spine ends, cloth worn in at edges in places. General shelf wear to boards. Corners gently rubbed and rounded. Library reference label on front paste down endpaper, pocket on rear paste down. Some page toning and very light foxing. Some light staining, mostly not affecting images, on plates. Stamp on last page. Containing a geological map, sections and plates of the fossil plants and animals, this is the scarce first edition of John Philipp's important study of the geology of Yorkshire, the first… Read More

In Venezia, Dalle stampe delli Fratelli Bassaglia a spese di Antonio Zatta, 1782 - 1791.
16º. (19 cm x 11 cm.), 59 Volumes, contemporary paper covers, title and number in each spine. Frontispiece with portrait of Giorgio Luigi Leclerc, Count of Buffon. Geographical maps and more than 800 engravings. Natural, general and particular history of Mr. Conte di Buffon (intendant of the King's garden, of the French Academy and of the sciences). Italian edition, the volumes are smaller than the French edition.
Volumes: 1-2 Of The Theory of the Earth, 3-4 Of the Epochs of Nature, 5-7 Introduction to the History of Minerals, 8 which serves as a follow-up to the Theory of the Earth and an introduction to the history of minerals, 9 of the observations and experiences on the production of animals, 10 Continuation of observations, 11 Continuation of the natural history of man, 12 probabilities of the duration of life, 13 additions to various articles of natural history, 14 speeches given in the French academy, 15… Read More