BOURJOT SAINT-HILAIRE, Alexandre

Histoire Naturelle des Perroquets

BOURJOT SAINT-HILAIRE, Alexandre. Histoire Naturelle des Perroquets, Troisième Volume (Supplémentaire), pour Faire Suite aux Deux Volumes de Levaillant. Paris: F.G. Levrault, 1837-38 [1835-39]. Very large quarto, period-style full red morocco gilt, uncut, plates measuring 14-1/2 inches in height. $25,000. Tall first quarto edition of Bourjot Saint-Hilaire's continuation of Levaillant's great two-volume set of Perroquets (1801-05), with folding table and 110 (of 111) beautifully lithographed and hand-colored parrots by Johann-Carl Werner, official ornithological artist to the Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle. This magnificent supplementary third volume to Levaillant's monumental two-volume Histoire Naturelle des Perroquets (1801, 1805) was published by natural history scholar Bourjot Saint-Hilaire long after Levaillant's death. The original set was among the many beautifully executed books produced when Napoleon became Emperor. These sumptuous volumes were prepared as a part of Napoleon's attempt to produce books comparable to those published under the auspices of Louis XIV. This third volume (issued separately) began appearing in 1835 as a series of 29 monthly parts, in quarto, entitled Collection de Perroquets, with wonderful full-page hand-colored lithographs in each issue. In addition to the magnificent plates, it contained essays and descriptions in both French and Latin of all of the parrots known at the time (including some 30 new species discovered after Levaillant's death). Also issued in a large folio format, with a text that "does not seem to differ from the 4to edition" (Anker 55a). Without plate 84, a member of the Psittacula family. Anker 54. Sitwell, 79. Zimmer, 84. Light inoffensive pencil notations. Faint scattered foxing throughout. Hand-coloring very vivid. A lovely, uncut copy, bound in beautiful dark red period-style morocco gilt.

• USD 25,000.00 > other currencies
• ordernr.: 45546

• bookseller: Bauman Rare Books (USA)