Natural History, General and Particular, by the Count de Buffon, illustrated with above 600 copper plates. The History of Man and Quadrupeds ...[and] The History of Birds ..In Twenty Volumes

London : T Cadell and W Davies; R C and J Rivington; et al, 1812 A very good set of this 20 volume edition with black and white frontispiece, 2 folding maps, and 681 hand coloured plates. With an account of Buffon's life by William Wood. It is rare to find this set with hand colouring. In contemporary full speckled calf bindings that have been rebacked to provide new spines with gilt-lined raised bands and title and volume labels. The original boards have scuffing and pitting, and there is light wear at edges and corners, but the bindings are in very good clean condition. Endpapers are marbled and some of the front pastedowns have a scuffed area indicating the removal of bookplates. 2 of the volumes have the armorial bookplate of the Right Hon. Sir Robert Peel, Bart, who was Prime Minister 1834-5. and 1841-6 and is viewed as the founder of the modern British police force. The contents are in very good condition with occasional light spotting, generally at the top margin, and offsetting from the plates. The occasional plate and text page is toned. All the volumes have 2 initial and final blanks, a half title and title, contents listings and directions to the binder. All have the original page marker (torn in one volume). In this set, Vol VI has 2 plates numbered 152 and 2 numbered 158 with different animals; Vol VII lacks one plate (211) and Vol VIII lacks plate 252 but has 2 numbered 254 (different animals). Detailed contents: Vol I: preface by translator and life of Buffon pp lv; text 496pp; 2 folding hand coloured maps. Vol II: text 592pp; 13 plates, of which 6 are folding. There is a small hole in text p 443. Vol III: text 567 pp; 1 plate. Vol IV: text 419 pp including folding chart of dogs; 48 plates. Vol V: text 378 pp; 63 plates. Vol VI: text 439pp; 67 plates. Vol VII: 477 pp; 49 plates of which 2 are folding. Vol VIII: 400 pp; 49 plates. Vol IX: 406pp; 56 plates. Vol X: text 288 pp; appendix with half title to p396; index 44 pp; 69 plates. Vol XI: [first volume of Birds]preface by translator pp xvi; text 435 pp; notes by translator to p 444; 29 plates (29 is misprinted 39 on directions to binder). Vol XII: text 518 pp; 27 plates - plate numbering not in sequence. p 305 has lost the bottom corner tip. Vol XIII: 496pp; 27 plates. Vol XIV: 464 pp; 22 plates. Vol XV: 468 pp; 22 plates. Vol XVI: 494 pp; 15 plates. Vol XVII: 574 pp; 19 plates. Vol VXIII: 567 pp; 31 plates. Vol XIX: 514 pp; 40 plates. Vol XX: text 1-390; appendix by translator to p 515; index 88 pp; 34 plates.