The Natural History of British Insects; explaining them in their several states, with the periods of their transformations, their food, oeconomy, &c. Together with the History of Such Minute Insects as require investigation by the Microscope. Vols I-XVI by Edward Donovan - 1792

London : Printed for the Author and for F. and C.Rivington, 1792 A good to very good complete set of 16 volumes in 8, with 576 plates of which 568 are hand coloured. In contemporary half morocco leather over what are likely to be the publisher's plain boards. The spines have raised bands, delicate blind-stamped and gilt designs, and gilt titles. The boards have a blind-stamped design to the leather edges. All the bindings are sound and clean, with wear to corners (with leather loss at tips) and edges, and some light marking to the card, particularly where is adjoins the leather. The red leather is slightly darkened on one volume and lighter on two. The contents are largely 1st issue, with a question over Vols I, X and XIII. Donovan issued the contents of I-X in parts between 1792 and 1801 and, viewing the work as complete, issued a new title, advert, and contents pages. He added 6 more volumes between 1806 and 1813. In this set, Vol I has the later title and is probably 2nd issue. Vol X has a title page with the right date, but a slight variation in publisher and printer (this variant is not mentioned in Lisney). Vol XIII has the first issue title to Vol XI with the volume number changed by hand. All volumes have the bookplate of Paul Sokoloff (a noted amateur entomologist) to the front endpaper, and some have an additional armorial plate, with the motto 'sapere aude'. The contents are clean and in very good condition with very bright and well coloured plates. The original page markers are present in most volumes. As with all works issued in parts, paper tone and quality varies with occasional sections having light toning, and some having spotting. This is noticeable in Vol I with spotting in text pp 45-58; IV with some toning and a little spotting; VI where p 75 is spotty; and XI where there is heavy spotting to text pp 23-7, 59-62 and 67-72 - plates 368, 369, 380, 381 and 385 are affected. There are no tissue guards, but there is little offsetting, other than in Vol XIV. There are a couple of small repaired margin tears; a paper flaw at the back of plate 330; a creased title to IX and p 3 in Vol II; a couple of ragged page edges and a dampstain to the front pastedown of Vol IX. Please enquire if you would like to see more images to further assess condition.