[BUFFON Georges-Louis de]

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Lot n° 53
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Estimation :
50000 - 55000 EUR
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Result : 65 000EUR
[BUFFON Georges-Louis de]
Histoire naturelle des oiseaux. Paris, Imprimerie royale, 1770-1786. 10 vol. in-4, 24 x 32cm, 3 ff., XXII pp. 1 f., 314 pp. 1 f., 75 pl. & 3 ff. 488 pp. 1 f., 53 pl. & 4 ff. 282 pp. 1 f., 98 pl. & 6 ff, 406 pp. 1 f., 97 pl. & XII + 364 pp. 1 f., 97 pl. & XII + 582 pp. 1 f., 102 pl. & 1 f., XII + 436 pp. 1 f., 142 pl. & 1 f., VIII + 412 pp., 140 pl. & VIII + 424 pp, 1 f., 109 pl. & IV + 562 pp. 1 f., 95 pl. English binding of the 19th century in green long-grained morocco, gilt arms in the center of the boards, gilt Greek and gilt garland of vine leaves framing the boards, spine ribbed and richly decorated with gilt motifs, red morocco title and tomes, gilt edges. First edition of this monument of ornithology, complete with 1008 plates, drawn and engraved by François-Nicolas Martinet (c.1760-1800), and watercolored. The texts are written by Buffon (1707-1788), then director of the King's Garden (today the National Museum of Natural History), by Philippe Guéneau de Montbeillard (1720-1785) and by the abbot Gabriel Bexon (1748-1784). "This edition was certainly the most ambitious and comprehensive bird book which had appeared at the time of its publication, and still ranks as one of the most important of all bird books from the collector's point of view" (Stillwell, 63). A very fine copy, one of the few on large paper, in morocco with the arms of the 4th Earl of Darnley (1767-1831). The 35 additional plates (butterflies and insects), not mentioned in the table, are present in this copy. Covers and corners slightly rubbed. Small cracks in the spine of one volume. Slight scattered foxing. Old staining to the first few leaves of one volume. One slightly shorter plate, flying, from another copy. Ronsil 413c.
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