Rare and antiquarian books
Natural history
Our rare and antique natural history books cover a wide period from the 15th to the 19th century and are illustrated with engravings, most often coloured at the time. Ornithology, botany, entomology, mycology… the subjects studied are numerous.
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1555
[1810]-1816-1827
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175 000 €
Showing all 75 results
- Buy BULLIARD, Pierre. Flora Parisiensis ou descriptions et figures des plantes qui croiss... First edition of Bulliard’s botanical treatise illustrated with a title and with 642 engravings watercoloured at the time. Complete with the extremely rare introduction.
- Buy MORIN, Pierre. Remarques nécessaires pour la culture des fleurs. Diligemment obser... Advises from the greatest French florist of his time along with his sales catalogue.
- Buy REDOUTE, Pierre-Joseph Les Roses par P. J. Redouté, peintre de fleurs, Dessinateur en titr... The masterpiece of the "Raphael of Flowers” and one of the rare copies of the deluxe edition in folio format.
- Buy REAUMUR, René Antoine Ferchault de Mémoires pour servir à l’Histoire des insectes [Tome premier – quat... First edition and first state of the real first scientific history of insects
- Buy AUDEBERT, Jean-Baptiste/ VIEILLOT, Louis-Pierre Oiseaux dorés ou à reflets métalliques. I- Histoire naturelle et gé... 190 superb bird engravings printed in colour and enhanced with gold. One of the 200 sumptuous copies of the deluxe issue in large folio format with captions printed in gold.
- Buy NEANDER, Johann Tabacologia : Hoc est Tabaci, seu Nicotianae Descriptio Medico-Chir... Tabacologia by Neander
- Buy COLLAERT, Adriaen. Piscium Vivae Icones inventae ab Adriano Collardo et Excusae. First edition and first issue of the extremely rare suite engraved in 1630 by Nicolas de Bruyn
- Buy COLMENERO DE LEDESMA, Antonio Chocolata inda, Opusculum De qualitate & natura chocolatae. Traité sur le chocolat par Colmenero de Ledesma
- Buy Plantes usuelles, indigènes et exotiques, dessinées et coloriées d’... First edition of this very beautiful botanical work illustrated with 132 plates finely watercolored at the time.
- Buy KNOOP, Johann Hermann Pomologia, dat is beschryvingen en afbeeldingen van de beste soorte... First editions of Knoop’s treatises on fruit trees.
- Buy BERQUEN, Robert de. Les Merveilles des Indes Orientales et Occidentales ou nouveau trai... The precious stones, pearls, diamonds, sapphires, topaz, rubies, emeralds, etc…, their price “dedicated to the Grande Mademoiselle, Duchess of Montpensier”.
- Buy BONAPARTE, Charles-Lucie. Iconographie des pigeons non figurés par Mme Knip (Mme Pauline de C... A great hunting and ornithology book dedicated to pigeons.
- Buy DUPERREY, Louis-Isidore. Voyage autour du Monde, exécuté par ordre du Roi sur la corvette de... Precious and exceedingly rare set comprising the four atlases that illustrate the account of one of the most famous Voyages to the Pacific published in parts from 1825 to 1835.
- Buy ROSNEL, Pierre de. Le Mercure Indien, ou le Trésor des Indes. Première partie dans laq... First edition, first issue, very rare of « Mercure Indien ou le Trésor des Indes », of gemological interest dealing with the origin of gemstones and describing the diamond, rub...
- Buy BRY, Joh. Theod. De (1561-1623) Anthologia magna, Sive Florilegium novum & absolutum, variorum ... Complete first edition preserved in its pure binding in contemporary overlapping ivory vellum.
- Buy CURTIS, John. British entomology; being illustrations and descriptions of the gen... Cuvier considered the work of John Curtis as « the paragon of perfection ».
- Buy BOCK, Hieronymus. Kreutterbuch darin vnderscheidt Name(n) vnnd würckunng der Kreutter... The famous herbarium by Bock from 1572, illustrated with 500 engravings in contemporary colors.
- Buy RICHON / ROZE Atlas des champignons comestibles et vénéneux de la France et des p... Atlas of the comestible and toadstool mushrooms
- Buy CASTELLI, P. / ALDINI, Tobie Exactissima descriptio rariorum quarundam plantarum, Que continentu... First edition of the "Hortus Farnesianus" by Aldini
- Buy REDOUTE, Pierre-Joseph Les Roses peintes par J.P. Redouté. 182 Roses by Redouté
- Buy DURANTE, Castore Herbario novo di Castore Durante medico, et cittadino Romano. Con F... Rare second edition of this very beautiful herbarium preserved in contemporary overlapping vellum
- Buy BARLA, J. B. Les champignons de la province de Nice et principalement les espèce... First edition of the author’s first book, illustrated with 48 chromolithographs enhanced with gum Arabic.
- Buy [PELLETIER DE FREPILLON]. Essai sur la taille des arbres fruitiers. Par une Société d’amateurs. The art of pruning fruit trees.
- Buy DUMERIL, André-Marie-Constant Traité élémentaire d’histoire naturelle. The teaching of natural sciences
- Buy SANDER, Henry Frederick Conrad Reichenbachia, orchids illustrated and described. The greatest work of the "Orchid King"
- Buy LEWIN, William. The Birds of Great-Britain, with their Eggs, accurately figured. First edition of the “rarest of all English bird books” (Fine Bird books), one of only 60 luxurious copies illustrated with 323 original full-page gouaches.
- Buy LE CORGNE, Marie-Louise Histoire naturelle. Botanique. Superb and precious handwritten herbarium entirely calligraphed
- Buy COMBLES, Charles-Jean de (1735-1803). L’Ecole du jardin potager, Contenant la Description exacte de toute... Perhaps the most beautiful listed copy of L'École du jardin potager preserved in a sumptuous contemporary green morocco binding with a wide dentelle with birds by Derome le Jeune.
- Buy OLINA, Giovanni Pietro Vccelliera overo discorso della natura, e proprieta di diversi vcce... One of the great Italian hunting books
- Buy KNORR, Georg Wolfgang et WALCH Johann Ernst Immanuel Recueil de monumens des catastrophes que le globe de la terre a ess... First French edition - more sought after than the German first edition - illustrated with 273 magnificent hand-colored engravings of fossils.
- Buy DUMONT D'URVILLE, Jules Sébastien César. Voyage de la corvette de l’Astrolabe (autour du Monde) exécuté par ... First edition of the most important French travel undertaken in the Pacific in the nineteenth century.
- Buy ELLIS, Jean. Essai sur l’histoire naturelle des corallines, et d’autres producti... The best work dedicated to coral in the 18th century
- Buy ZORN, Joseph (1739-1799). Afbeeldingen der Artseny-Gewassen met Derzelver Nederduitsche en La... Rare first Dutch edition illustrated with 712 superb engravings of flowers and plants printed between 1796 and 1813 drawn by the pharmacist Joseph Zorn (1739-1799) and delicatel...
- Buy REGNAULT, Nicolas-François et Geneviève. La Botanique mise a la portée de tout le monde ou collection des pl... One of the most beautiful botanical books from the 18th century. 472 engravings of natural sciences entirely watercolored at the time.
- Buy JAUME SAINT-HILAIRE, Jean Henri. Plantes de la France décrites et peintes d’après nature par M. Jaum... First edition, first issue of this famous work depicting the flowers and the plants of France.
- Buy EDWARDS, George. A Natural History of Birds. A Natural History of Birds in reversed impresssion
- Buy CAUSE, Hendrick. De Koninglycke hovener aanwyzende De Middelen om Boomen, Bloemen en... Flowers, fruit and gardens from the Dutch golden age. Stunning first issue of 55 prints.
- Buy ADANSON, Michel. Histoire naturelle du Sénégal. Coquillages. Avec la Relation abrégé... Rare first edition of this account of a journey to Senegal by the naturalist Michel Adanson, illustrated with a large map and 19 folding engraved plates.
- Buy SOWERBY, James. Coloured figures of English Fungi or Mushrooms First edition of one of the most beautiful works on mycology, illustrated with 440 plates delicately hand-colored at the time.
- Sold EDWARDS, George. Histoire naturelle d’oiseaux peu communs: et d’autres animaux rares... One of the most beautiful ornithology books of the 18th century
- Sold BIDET, Nicolas. Traité sur la nature et sur la culture de la vigne ; sur le vin, la... One of the main works about viticulture
- Sold WEINMANN, Jean Guillaume. Phytanthoza Iconographia, sive conspectus Aliquot millium, tam Indi... One of the most important baroque herbarium illustrated with 1 025 plates in superb contemporary colors.
- Sold FERRARI, Jean-Baptiste Hesperides sive de malorum aureorum cultura et usu Libri Quatuor First edition of one of the most beautiful baroque botanical books.
- Sold REDOUTE, Pierre-Joseph Choix des plus belles fleurs et des plus beaux fruits… Selection by Redouté of the most beautiful flowers
- Sold Produit De luxe edition of Buffon's Natural History
- Sold NANKI JOSUIKEN Gei Shi (= Description de baleines / Description of whales). Magnificent Japanese monograph dedicated to whales
- Sold CARLIER Traité des bêtes à laine, ou méthode d’élever et de gouverner les t... The most important and comprehensive work dedicated to wool-animals
- Sold BUFFON, Georges-Louis-Marie Le Clerc, comte de. Histoire naturelle des oiseaux. First issue of Buffon’s Natural History of Birds illustrated with 973 contemporary illuminated engravings preserved in its contemporary red morocco binding.
- Sold BELON, Pierre. Les Observations de plusieurs singularitez & choses memorables,... Belon's travels in Orient.
- Sold KNIP, Pauline / TEMMINCK, Coenraad Jacob Les Pigeons. First edition of this superb work illustrated with 87 plates in colors of pigeons.
- Sold AUDEBERT, Jean-Baptiste/ VIEILLOT, Louis-Pierre Oiseaux dorés ou à reflets métalliques. I- Histoire naturelle et gé... Audebert's birds in colors and enhanced with gold
- Sold BUFFON Histoire naturelle, générale et particulière "The Natural History" by Buffon
- Sold CORNUT, Jacques-Philippe. Canadensium plantarum, Historia. Cui adiectum est ad calcem enchiri... First edition of the first book on the flora of Canada.
- Sold MORDANT DE LAUNAY, Jean-Claude-Michel / LOISELEUR-DESLONCHAMPS, Jean-Louis-Auguste. Herbier général de l’amateur, contenant la description, l’histoire,... 575 superb plates of flowers contemporary hand-colored by Pancrace Bessa, Redouté’s student.
- Sold CRAMER Papillons exotiques des trois parties du monde l’Asie, l’Afrique et... Tropical butterflies from around the world
- Sold DESCOURTILZ, Jean-Théodore Ornithologie brésilienne ou histoire des oiseaux du Brésil, remarqu... This work describes 164 species of tropical birds through 48 superb plates in color.
- Sold DU TERTRE Histoire générale des Antilles habitées par les François. Divisée e... First complete edition of the “Histoire des Antilles”
- Sold Bloch, Marcus-Elieser. Ichtyologie, ou histoire naturelle, générale et particulière des po... The most spectacular work dedicated to fishes
- Sold SONNERAT, Pierre Voyage aux Indes orientales et à la Chine. Fait par ordre du Roi de... Sonnerat's travel through India and China illustrated with 140 plates
- Sold LEVAILLANT, François. Histoire naturelle d’une partie d’oiseaux nouveaux et rares de l’Am... Birds of America illustrated of 49 etchings printed in color and enhanced by hand.
- Sold ADANSON, Michel. Histoire et description de plusieurs plantes tant indigènes qu’exot... Original botanical manuscript of great scientific interest, calligraphed, drawn and water colored in the year 1768 in the Dominican Dijon abbey following the method of Michel Ad...
- Sold LOUDON, Jane Webbs The Ladies’ flower-garden of ornamental bulbous plants English bulbous plants, by Jane Loudon
- Sold SOUANCE, Charles de. Iconographie des perroquets non figurés dans les publications de Le... First edition of this superb iconography of parrots, illustrated with 48 plates finely contemporary hand-colored.
- Sold CAUS, Salomon de. Hortus Palatinus a Friderico Rege Boemiae Electore Palatino Heidelb... First edition of this exceedingly scarce work on the landscaped gardens and architecture designed by Salomon de Caus for the elector palatinate Frederick V.
- Sold LAMARCK, Jean-Baptiste de / MIRBEL, Charles-François Brisseau de. Histoire naturelle des végétaux, classés par familles, Avec la cita... Complete first edition of Lamarck’s Histoire naturelle des végétaux.
- Sold ROUSSEAU, Jean-Jacques La Botanique. Rousseau’s "Botanique", illustrated with 65 beautiful watercolored engravings by Redouté
- Sold GAZZADI, Domenico. Zoologia Morale esposta in cento venti discorsi in versi o in prosa... First edition of the rarest Italian book of zoology illustrated with color plates.
- Sold BONELLI, Giorgio Hortus Romanus. Botanical treatise illustrated with 600 superb contemporary hand-colored plates
- Sold BUFFON, Georges Louis Marie Leclerc, comte de Collection des animaux quadrupèdes de Buffon, formant 362 planches ... A precious copy of this "rare separate suite of Buffon’s engravings of quadrupeds"
- Sold CHAUFFOURT, Jacques de. Instruction sur le faict des Eaues & Forests, Contenant en abr... This "first edition of 1603 is very rare, as we have never encountered it" (Souhart, 98).
- Sold GRENIER, Charlotte Fleurs peintes à l’aquarelle. Charming watercolor album dedicated to the alpine flora
- Sold BOCK, Hieronymus. Kreütterbuch, darin underscheidt, Nammen und Würckung der Kreütter,... First illustrated edition of the culinary Treatise of Hieronymus Bock (1498-1554), the father of German botany.
- Sold BELON DU MANS, Pierre La Nature & diversité des poissons, Avec leurs pourtraicts, rep... Extremely rare French editio princeps of this ichthyology treatise illustrated with 186 woodcuts about fish
- Sold BUFFON, Georges Marie Leclerc, comte de. Histoire naturelle générale et particulière avec la description du ... The precious complete series of Buffon’s Birds illustrated with 262 engravings.
- Sold DRALSE DE GRANDPIERRE Relation de divers voyages dans l’Afrique, l’Amérique, & aux In... The rare travel relation by Dralsé de Granpierre in Africa, in America and in the Western Indies