The Natural History of British Insects. Vol. I

Description:

First edition, first issue. The first volume of this important work, with some species named and described for the first time. (The work was completed in 16 volumes). Includes fine engraved plates, mostly hand-coloured (the 5 plates of microscopic organisms are always uncoloured).

Lacks preliminary leaves A2a-B1b (Dedication, Preface, Contents, Half-title), which were issued later, on completion of the tenth volume. Lisney notes that in the first fascicule the title page constituted leaf B1, leaf B2 being the first leaf of text, which corresponds to the arrangement found in this copy.

Lisney, 352.

Condition

8vo, cont. full tree calf, gilt rules and tooling to spine, leather title; a little scuffed, some wear to extremities. Occasional minor browning/foxing, but plates largely clean. Very good. From the library of coleopterist, Guillaume de Rougemont (1945-2020) with his (and an earlier owner's) name to flyleaf.