The Natural History of Foreign Butterflies

Edinurgh: W. H. Lizars, 1837. First edition. Hardcover. Near fine. 12mo. 206pp. Contemporary full red leather, gilt spine title, boards embossed in blind, gilt inner dentelles, yellow coated endpapers, all edges gilt. Billed as having 33 plates: there are 30 handcolored plates of butterflies (one double, making 31), an engraved title page with a handcolored vignette, and an engraved frontispiece. As the Preface explains, this totals 33 plates. In addition to the engraved title, the typeset title is also present. The colored plates have all offset to some degree onto the facing pages; in all cases but one this offset is to a facing blank page; the exception is the engraved title which has offset to the frontispiece. Two small chips to the spine tips, only a trace of wear to the binding, else this is a fine copy with bright coloring.