BUFFON (Georges Louis Leclerc, comte de.)

BUFFON (Georges Louis Leclerc, comte de.)
Natural history, general and particular-Natural history of birds-Natural history of minerals-SupplementLACEPEDE
(Bernard-Germain, comte de.) Histoire naturelle des quadrupèdes ovipares et des serpens. Paris, Imprimerie Royale, then Hôtel de Thou, 1769-1790. 58 volumes in-12, jasper fawn calf, decorated spine with nerves, gilt spine on cuts, red edges (
contemporary
binding
).

Important collection of Buffon's works, completed by the volumes of

Lacépède

:Histoire naturelle, générale et particulière, 13 volumes-Histoire naturelle des oiseaux, 18 volumes-Histoire naturelle des minéraux, 9 volumes-Supplement, 14 volumes-Histoire naturelle des quadrupèdes ovipares et des serpens, 4

volumes.

Nice complete set of this small format edition of Buffon's masterpiece. Its publication, which began before the publication of the second edition of Natural History in in-4 format, was from the Birds, concomitant with the publication in large format. After Buffon's death, Lacépède published alone, from 1788 to 1804, a suite concerning oviparous quadrupeds and snakes, then cetaceans and fish. Our set includes only the first four volumes of this suite (oviparas and snakes). The only thing missing from this beautiful series is the sequel to Lacépède's work on fish (published from 1798). The collection is quite complete with the ninth volume of minerals "Traité de l'aimant et de ses usages", 1788, which is very often missing (Brunet I, 1376-77

).

The set is illustrated with a portrait, 4 folded cards and 719 copper-engraved off-text figures, 2 of which are folded

.

Very nice complete set in uniform binding of the period, some title pieces in different colors. Robert de Billy's ex-boyfriend.