Natural History of British Shells
Including Figures and Descriptions of All the Species Hitherto Discovered in Great Britain, Systematically Arranged in the Linnean Manner, with Scientific and General Observations on Each.
- London: Printed for the Author, and for F. and C. Rivington, 1799
London: Printed for the Author, and for F. and C. Rivington, 1799. Full Description:
DONOVAN, E[dward]. The Natural History of British Shells. Including Figures and Descriptions of All the Species Hitherto Discovered in Great Britain, Systematically Arranged in the Linnean Manner, with Scientific and General Observations on Each. London: Printed for the Author, and for F. and C. Rivington, 1799.
First edition. Five octavo volumes bound in two (9 1/8 x 5 1/2 inches; 233 x 140 mm). With the complete run of 180 engraved color-plates, many heightened in gum arabic. 1, 2, or 3 leaves of description for each plate. This book was originally issued in 60 monthly parts, each illustrated with three plates, between 1799 and 1804. The present set is bound without the title-pages for volumes III, IV and V. It has the "Linnean Arrangement" index for all five volumes, but not of the other indexes. With two errata slips tipped in for plates XXXI and CXIX.
Contemporary full straight-grain red morocco. Gilt boarder. Spines lettered and ruled in gilt. All edges gilt. Marbled endpapers. Gilt board edges and gilt dentelles. Some minor sunning to spines. Boards a bit rubbed. A paper flaw to the text leaf for plate CLII, touching a few letters. Text leaf for plate XCIII quite foxed. Otherwise some mild foxing and offsetting throughout. A few plates in volume II a bit toned. Overall a very good set with beautiful images.
Edward Donovan (1768-1837), English travel writer and amateur zoologist, founded the London Museum and Institute of Natural History and authored a number of works of natural history in the late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-centuries, including this well-known illustrated survey of British insects.
"At its best, the zoological art of [the nineteenth century] is distinguished by tightness of drawing and brightness of colouring. . . . The remarkably industrious Edward Donovan typifies the mentality of the still largely dilettante world of descriptive zoology in the early nineteenth century. . . . In several multi-colume books he described and illustrated the birds, fishes, insects, and molluscs of the British Isles" (S. Peter Dance, The Art of Natural History).
Nissen 1147. - Agassiz II, 253, 9. - Engelmann S. 669.
HBS 69307.
$3,250.
DONOVAN, E[dward]. The Natural History of British Shells. Including Figures and Descriptions of All the Species Hitherto Discovered in Great Britain, Systematically Arranged in the Linnean Manner, with Scientific and General Observations on Each. London: Printed for the Author, and for F. and C. Rivington, 1799.
First edition. Five octavo volumes bound in two (9 1/8 x 5 1/2 inches; 233 x 140 mm). With the complete run of 180 engraved color-plates, many heightened in gum arabic. 1, 2, or 3 leaves of description for each plate. This book was originally issued in 60 monthly parts, each illustrated with three plates, between 1799 and 1804. The present set is bound without the title-pages for volumes III, IV and V. It has the "Linnean Arrangement" index for all five volumes, but not of the other indexes. With two errata slips tipped in for plates XXXI and CXIX.
Contemporary full straight-grain red morocco. Gilt boarder. Spines lettered and ruled in gilt. All edges gilt. Marbled endpapers. Gilt board edges and gilt dentelles. Some minor sunning to spines. Boards a bit rubbed. A paper flaw to the text leaf for plate CLII, touching a few letters. Text leaf for plate XCIII quite foxed. Otherwise some mild foxing and offsetting throughout. A few plates in volume II a bit toned. Overall a very good set with beautiful images.
Edward Donovan (1768-1837), English travel writer and amateur zoologist, founded the London Museum and Institute of Natural History and authored a number of works of natural history in the late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-centuries, including this well-known illustrated survey of British insects.
"At its best, the zoological art of [the nineteenth century] is distinguished by tightness of drawing and brightness of colouring. . . . The remarkably industrious Edward Donovan typifies the mentality of the still largely dilettante world of descriptive zoology in the early nineteenth century. . . . In several multi-colume books he described and illustrated the birds, fishes, insects, and molluscs of the British Isles" (S. Peter Dance, The Art of Natural History).
Nissen 1147. - Agassiz II, 253, 9. - Engelmann S. 669.
HBS 69307.
$3,250.
Details
Title
Natural History of British Shells
Author
DONOVAN, Edward
Condition
Unknown
Publisher
Printed for the Author, and for F. and C. Rivington: London
Date
1799