Paris, Lacombe, Buchoz, puis Paris, Buchoz & Amsterdam, Marc-Michel Rey, [1775]-1778-1779-1780-1781.
20 parts in 4 volumes folio of : I/ 5 titles, 50 plates of which 49 in double state in black and colored and 1 only in color, 5 ll. of explanation of the plates; II/ 5 titles, 50 plates of which 48 in double state in black and colored and 2 only in the colored state, 5 ll. of explanation of the plates ; III/ 5 titles, 50 plates of which 47 in double state in black and colored and 3 only in color, 5 ll. of explanation ; IV/ 5 titles, 50 plates of which 48 in double state in black and colored and 2 only in color, 5 ll. of explanation of the plates.
Full red morocco, triple fillet and gilt fleurons in the corners of the covers, ribbed spines decorated with gilt fleurons, green morocco lettering pieces, gilt edges. Contemporary binding.
458 x 305 mm.
First edition of one of the most famous books by Pierre Joseph Buchoz.
Sitwell p 82; Blunt, pp. 158-160; Brun Anker 73; Fine Bird Books, p 63; Nissen IVB 156 and I, 1371; Graesse I, 563.
Pierre Joseph Buchoz (1731-1807), doctor at the Faculty and at the Royal College of Medicine of Nancy, physician-botanist of Monsieur, former physician of his late Majesty the King of Poland and of Monseigneur Comte d’Artois… published a great number of works on foreign and indigenous plants.
In addition to some good observations on aviary birds, his books are today mainly sought after for the beauty of the illuminated prints that accompany them.
A lawyer and later a doctor, demonstrator at the royal college of physicians in Nancy, Pierre-Joseph Buchoz, from Metz, published works of natural history in the encyclopedic spirit of the time.
Beautiful work printed on large holland paper with 20 colored calligraphic titles, in gilt, red and green letters, and 200 plates hand colored at the time illustrating game, birds, mammals, butterflies, shells, flowers, plants, fossils.
The volumes are enriched with the suite of 192 engravings in black.
The superb botanical, zoological and mineralogy plates were drawn by the greatest artists of the eighteenth century such as Jacques de Favanne, Guillaume de Favanne his son, Bélengé and Jean-Baptiste Desmoulins. They are engraved by Ransonnette, Jean Leroy, Dupin fils, Claude Fessard, M. Fessard, Breant, Vangelisti, Vidal, C. Baquoy, Bradel and Jacques Juillet.
The British Museum (Nat. Hist.) Cat.: I, 275, notes that “the plates of fossils and minerals were collected and issued in 1782 as ‘Les dons merveilleux.de la Nature dans le regne Mineral.”
Beautiful copy in red morocco from the library of the Countess Sophie Potocka (1760-1822), famous in all the courts of Europe for her beauty, with her signature on the first title of each volume.
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