Count Cepede (4 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. 1st Edition. 8vo, i-x,382pp, 9 black and white engraved plates printed by Lizars, some staining throughout text and plates, one plate has a very neat repair only visible on the reverse of image. Much of the text is uncut, there is a discreet institutional library stamp in the margin of one page but generally this is a very good unsophisticated copy. The binding is the original paper covered boards-the spine is very worn, however the contents are very firm. This volume is almost entirely devoted to Vipers and related snakes.

Hardback. Condition: Very Good-. Dust Jacket Condition: No Dust Jacket. This copy has been professionally rebound with new endpapers, Vol 1 only. Marbled boards are unmarked though ever so slightly bumped; spine is a little marked from shelving and bumped; binding is tight; pages are age-toned, foxed and stained, particularly the title-page, all edges marbled, some pencilled annotations from previous owners with occasional off-setting. This copy has been nicely rebound and retains original full-page illustrations of tortoises and lizards. ; 5.5 x 1.25 x 8.75 inches; 420 pages.

Pp. xliii, 420; xxiv, 345; iv, 383; xii, 282; with 45 of 48 copper-engraved plates of crocodiles, serpents, lizards, turtles, etc. (volume I lacks plate 2 and volume IV lacks plates 1 and 2; these 3 plates were not removed - they were never bound-in by the publisher). Contemporary full green morocco leather, spine with five raised bands, lettered in gilt on dark red morocco labels in two compartments and with elaborate gilt designs in the other four compartments, front and rear leather boards blind-stamped with elaborate diagonal line patterns, set off by gilt panel lines, all outer board edges decorated with gilt patterns, all page edges are marbled to match the marbled endpapers, 8vo. This is the first English translation of the Lacepede's major herpetological opus entitled Histoire Naturelle des Quadrupedes Ovipares et al Serpens originally issued in two large quarto volumes in 1788-1790. This was the first comprehensive world summary of amphibians and reptiles. Even today, it still has useful historical information. Lacepede's work remained very influential until the publication of Dumeril and Bibron Erpetologie Generale in the early 1800s (modified after Adler - Contributions to the History of Herpetology, volume 1). A very attractively-bound and uniform set. Signature of Henry Haffey on first text page of each volume; could be Henry Haffey, Esq., of Bath, formerly of Armagh. No other ownership marks and few signs of use. Some scattered light foxing mostly to the rear (blank) side of some plates, offsetting from some plates to their facing text-pages and offsetting from the text pages to a few plates; a very bright and clean copy in near fine condition.

Arranged and published from the papres and collections of the Count de Buffon. 4 Vol with 43 from 48 copperplates. Edinburgh 1802. Halfleather. Binding damaged and partly loose. must be new bound. Paper partly waterstained and with some foxing.