Jardine, Sir William (editor) | A "complete" natural history, richly illustrated

Jardine, Sir William (editor)

The Naturalist's Library. Edinburgh: W. H. Lizars, 1843

40 volumes 8vo (160 x 100 mm). Title-page to each volume dated 1843, with the exception of Volume 38 (incorrectly noted as Volume 6), which is dated 1840, approximately 1,280 hand-colored engraved plates by Lizars after Jardine, Swainson, Selby, and others, engraved frontispiece portraits, engraved titles with vignettes, some of which hand-colored, numerous in-text illustrations; some offsetting and occasional browning, relatively minor spotting. Half brown morocco, marbled boards, spines gilt in five compartments, edges marbled; extremities slightly rubbed, a few joints weak, spines sunned, Volume 38 (noted as Volume 6 on spine) apparently from a different but nearly similar set.

Sold not subject to return.

The forty-volume set of Jardine's popular survey of natural history.

It includes volumes on ornithology, mammals, entomology, and ichthyology, written by the foremost naturalists of the day and extensively illustrated. Each volume includes an engraved portrait and a biography of a noted naturalist, beginning with Linnaeus in Volume 1. 

A vast and charming work.

REFERENCE:

BM(NH) 3:1399; McGill/Wood 405; Nissen IVB 471; Nissen ZBI 4708; Zimmer 326